Little Miss read me a story this morning while I made her eggs for breakfast! I didn't understand a single word but I loved every second of it. We have been reading with her since she was just a little squawker and I consider this image one of the great payoffs of life. I've got my fingers crossed that this is the start of a lifelong love of reading.
While I typically focus on children's physical health, I think most parents want their children to be wholly healthy--physically, emotionally, financially...all the "-lys." In that spirit, I would like to make a plug for reading with your children (and enjoying some of the best ever snuggle time, who could resist that?).
While I typically focus on children's physical health, I think most parents want their children to be wholly healthy--physically, emotionally, financially...all the "-lys." In that spirit, I would like to make a plug for reading with your children (and enjoying some of the best ever snuggle time, who could resist that?).
Just like some of my more pharmaceutically related topics, there is plenty of research on parents reading in the home with their children and the results show expanded vocabularies, improved speech development and improved academic performance. I even found a study showing that toddlers whose parents read them picture books filled with pictures of fruits and vegetables were more likely to try eating those fruits and vegetables. (We could really use some subliminal messaging like that around our house these days.)
Research aside, I want to add my testimony to the power of parents reading with their children. We moved several times when I was younger and, after a grocery store, the local library was always one of the first things we visited. To this day, I can't see a copy of The Chronicles of Narnia or anything by Beverly Cleary or a bazillion other books without thinking of my mother and all the time she spent reading those to us. Besides the adventure and laughter it allowed us to have, that time reading together really helped us to feel loved and important. To this day, none of my siblings or I can resist a good book (and some of us can't resist even a mediocre one) and I truly feel that is a gift.
Research aside, I want to add my testimony to the power of parents reading with their children. We moved several times when I was younger and, after a grocery store, the local library was always one of the first things we visited. To this day, I can't see a copy of The Chronicles of Narnia or anything by Beverly Cleary or a bazillion other books without thinking of my mother and all the time she spent reading those to us. Besides the adventure and laughter it allowed us to have, that time reading together really helped us to feel loved and important. To this day, none of my siblings or I can resist a good book (and some of us can't resist even a mediocre one) and I truly feel that is a gift.
So are you on board? (Please say yes.) Wondering where to start? This is where I get to recommend something, which is one of my favorite things to do (it's my bossy side coming out). Start with board books! Right now we particularly love Little Pookie, Curious George's 1 to 10 and Back Again, and Pajama Time but I'm praying that will change as Little Miss' taste in literature matures--I already have all three of these memorized. The important part here is the board part (that's why I asked if you were "on board"--I'm hilarious). You want your child to be able to take over the reading whenever they're interested and those soft paper books just aren't going to survive that love fest. I have provided photo evidence in case you question my all-knowing wisdom. Those poor penguins.
So grab your kiddos and pick up a board book--from the library or the thrift store or even WalMart--and enjoy a few minutes of cuddle time today. I guarantee you won't regret it!
So grab your kiddos and pick up a board book--from the library or the thrift store or even WalMart--and enjoy a few minutes of cuddle time today. I guarantee you won't regret it!
RSS Feed