Raising a Nation of Readers

Working towards being certified as a reading teacher, I strongly believe in reading to your children no matter how young they are. There is much information out there that discusses how reading to your child a few minutes a day can make a huge impact on their literacy success. Reading can be so difficult for some children, even some adults, but with the proper support from caregivers and access to books, a child can begin their love of books at a very young age. Introduce books to children when they are infants and it will benefit the child as they grow. From what I have experienced, books can be just as fun as toy trucks and baby dolls.

bubbies, 7 months enjoys being read to by sissy P, 2 years

I naturally love to read. I remember my brother saying I was boring because all I did was read. I'd take a book up into my favorite tree, my bedroom, the back porch, on the dock (I grew up on the Scioto River) and read for hours at a time. I wasn't picky, either. Some of my faves were trashy grocery story reads such as those books by V.C. Andrews. I think my mom would have died if she knew I was reading about siblings falling in love with each other...ewe. I was advanced in English throughout high school and in college I took many English courses in addition to my history courses (history was my major). I owe this to my mother who was/is a kindergarten and first grade teacher. My earliest reading memory was when my mother and grandmother took me to the Columbus Public Library, Karl Road branch I believe because that was where grandma lived, and pronouncing the word "the." I can see myself standing there and trying so hard to read fluently. I really, really wanted to read. Not a clue as to how old I was then.

Anyhow, I started reading to P as soon as she was born. We'd lay on my bed when she was an insty wintsy baby and I read Brown Bear and I Love You Stinky Face over and over again. She would just look at the pictures probably checking out the colors and seemed to just enjoy listening to my voice. We would read every night before bed and then as she got older we'd read throughout the day. I'd let her play with squishy and crinkly books - she liked to chew on them and one book had a squeaker in it that would drive her nuts. She couldn't squeeze it hard enough to get it to squeak. I'd just laugh and squeeze it for her enjoying her reaction. Today, P is an avid little reader. She can look at the pages and retell the story. Mainly because we have read so many of her books a million times and she has them memorized. The other day she sat down with Brown Bear and recited it perfectly. I wanted to get it on camera but as soon as I busted out the gadget she stopped. Typically, she sits and makes up stories to the pictures or she knows the gist of the story and will rephrase it back to me. It is so darn cute. I am so proud of her for loving books and so proud of myself for making books such a huge part of her life. We go to the various libraries around town for storytime, I take her to music classes where they read to the kids, and we hang out in bookstores and libraries. Now, don't get me wrong, she has a ton of toys to play with, but there are many times she chooses a book over a toy and I rather enjoy seeing that happen. Hopefully bubbies will have the same love for the written word that his big sissy does.