With ten years of classroom experience, elementary teacher Lauren Beck knows a thing or two about children and the compassion they need to thrive as learners and leaders. In addition to serving as a hard-working second grade teacher in Buncombe County Schools (Asheville, NC), Lauren is a busy mom whose home is filled with the delightful squeals of laughter and love from her nine-year-old twin girls, Ryleigh and Braelyn, and four-year-old son, Liam.

As the weather turns colder and days get shorter, many individuals experience a drop in their mood and energy, often referred to as the “winter blues.” Maybe it's the lack of sunshine or the time spent indoors due to the bitter cold, but let’s face it: wintertime is not all it’s cut out to be for some of us.

How is it that children are born without language and without narrative skills, and within 24-30 months most have learned the rudiments of storytelling?