Why Ancient Greek Mythology is vital to a child’s education
Before starting this blog post, I feel like I should re-introduce myself for those of you who don’t know me.
Hello, I am Efstathia and I come from Greece.
Now, to be honest, born and raised 100% in Greece, I am obviously very much affected by the Greek culture and by all Greek myths (yes, I admit it you can easily call me a biased.)
Just some hours ago, my parents were trying to convince my children to eat some lotus fruits. (those orange, circular fruits that look a bit like oranges and are extremely sweet.)
- Honey, you should eat this fruit, it’s so tasty. Did you know that they are so sweet that when Odysseus tried them for the first time he almost forgot to go back to Ithaca? my father says as he gives my oldest daughter a piece of lotus.
- But grandpa, he finally did go back home to Ithaca, right?
- He did dear, yes, but the story says when Odysseus and his crew went onto the Lotus Eaters island, they were so thrilled by the lotus taste that they only wanted to stay on the island, eating more lotus fruits.
You see, for us Greeks, Greek Mythology is related to our food, our history, our monuments, the way we explain things, the stories we were told by our ancestors, our heritage, our pride, our songs, our everyday life.
Wherever we go all over Greece, there is always a myth hiding somewhere between the villages, the ruins of the temples and the infinite blue of the sea. We watch tragedies and comedies in theatrical plays starting at an early age. We sing our stories from the past and we grow up our children reading the fascinating myths of all Greek Gods and heroes.
Traditions pass on from older generations to younger generations and believe me, when I say…
In Greece, traditions always had and still have a huge, overwhelming power, almost inexplicable to foreigners.
As I grew up and travelled the world, I understood that Greek Mythology has had an international effect and influence that surpassed timeframes and geographic borders.
If there is one subject that is widely taught today in all schools and universities worldwide, it is the subject of ancient Greek Mythology. It is not only interesting and fascinating, but it is also the foundation of character genesis in literature. Businesses, Advertising firms, Arts use mythological heroes, Olympian Gods and other references as inspiration in order to attract more sales and customers!
If you study Astronomy, the names of planets and constellations are named after Greek myths. Myth-inspired phrases such as Achilles Hell, Oedipus Complex, Pandora’s Box, Midas touch are used to describe everyday situations. In addition, Hollywood’s love for mythology movies isn’t going away as years go by. We have all watched movies like “Troy” and “Achilles.”
The list goes on and on… I don’t want to continue because the influence of Greek Mythology is literally limitless and cannot cover the subject completely.
However, I will give you here my personal reasons why I believe that Greek Mythology is vital to a child’s education and why we should introduce Greek Mythology to our children at an early age.
1.The magical world of ancient Greek Gods is a world full of fights, wars, compromise, fear, fun, punishment and love. However, the lines of good and evil are clear cut and there is no confusion. There are heroes that do well and sacrifice themselves for the social good, there are monsters that are dangerous and can harm people.
Toddlers and children at an early age need to learn to distinguish bad and good. However, it is difficult to do it without scaring them. I believe that some Greek myths (well, of course you don’t start with narrating rapes and hard core situations) are a good way to explain the difference so that they begin to have a basic understanding of good actions, bad actions, good behaviors and bad behaviors.
For example, my two girls at the age of two and three adored “Deadalus and Icarus story”, which is a great myth to be read at an early age.
2. Negative feelings, uncomfortable situations- learning to cope with them.
Greek Mythology introduces through myths some tough situations, difficult characters, monsters and negative feelings. Greek Gods for example, are considered flawed, make mistakes and behave capriciously.
To be honest, I love that. This is real human life, not just some perfect, fake world where everything flaws smoothly. This is why it is so much easier for us and our children to connect with the different characters and better explain and some uncomfortable situations.
Hera is extremely jealous, Poseidon can get pretty angry, Zeus is selfish wants all women for himself. Many character issues that children face at home and at school (jealousy, trouble with siblings and other kids, back talking, bullying) are addressed in Greek mythology. When they hear it in a story, it’s easier for them to identify and perhaps express themselves, understand the behavior, think about it manage it in a more rational way.
Children need to learn at an early age to meet challenges and accept both positive and negative feelings. They need to be comforted that there is nothing wrong with making a mistake, being angry, jealous, sad, or worried. They need to understand that difficulties make you stronger and you cannot avoid them in everyday life. Believe me, with all this drama going on, Greek mythology is the perfect way to show them the way through all these incredible triggering stories!
3.Greek Mythology teaches High Values and Moral Lessons.
In all Greek myths, there is a Lesson to be taught, a High ideal to be shared or a Value to be incorporated. I do not want to go deeply into this topic, as I want to devote one full other post just to Just a quick list of Values you can find by reading Greek Mythology: Wisdom, Self- sacrifice, Responsibility, Gratitude, Courage, Strength, Justice, Moderation.
Check out these Greek Gods Positive Affirmations I have just launched where I tried to combine some Values that each God/ Goddess can teach us and our children.
Of course, some people argue that Ancient Greek Mythology was not characterized by ethics and that Greek Gods and some heroes as well behaved sometimes amorally. However, I would reply that myths were meant to describe how the world really works and not how the world should work.
In this sense, Greek mythology is closer to real life and can teach us even greater lessons as we have the chance to experience highs and lows, mistakes and greatness, pain and love, bad news, good news, destructions and re-constructions.
4. Greek Mythology unleashes kids’ imagination
Ancient Greeks created a myth to explain just about every element of the human condition.
Above all, myths are all about fascination, imagination, creativity and originality.
I have watched my children play at home different roles inspired by the Greek myths. One day they choose Goddess Athena and Aphrodite, the other day they fly like Daedalus and Icarus the next day they travel to Crete and they are into Minotaur’s story. They grab a story, they imitate the characters, they change them, and they make up their own myths.
I watch them play as they turn into heroes or monsters and laugh at all the different versions of myths they have created.
It is great for them to break through the walls of reality, pretend to be someone or something different from themselves, and dramatize situations and actions to go along with the roles they have chosen to plat.
Greek mythology can definitely encourage dramatic play, which encourages children to develop skills in such areas as literacy, abstract thinking, social studies, even psychology.
That’s why I designed some products that your kids can play with and enjoy their dramatic play.
Greek Gods Crowns, Greek Gods printable figures, Greek Gods Party Jumbo Pack.
To conclude this huge post, it’s pretty clear by now that I adore Greek Mythology.
I want the children all over the world to get to know the Greek myths because I honestly believe that they are educational, beneficial, fun and they teach us ever-lasting Values.
I have a Vision…and I also feel like it’s my Mission
I want to invent new ways of approaching Greek Mythology that would not only be fun and interactive, but would also focus on the Values and the Lessons that these myths can teach us.
As I have written in my introduction inside Goddess Athena ebook ,
In defense of Classical culture and Everlasting Values, why not allow Athena to share her Wisdom, Zeus to remind us that only through difficulties we can become stronger and Poseidon to send the message of respecting the oceans?
Lots of love,
Efstathia Setaki
