I love books. I can't remember a time when I haven't thought that buying a book surpassed buying a bar of chocolate (which is saying a lot). So, as you can imagine, it's really important that my kids love books and eventually reading as well.
I remember when Gracie was my only little. She was about four and when I decided that it was time for me to include her in my Barnes & Noble routine. I'm not talking taking her with me in a stroller but actually having her sit and enjoy books along with me. She wasn't interested. I was devastated.
So, I devised a plan. I had always read to her so it wasn't that she didn't like books. She just didn't want to sit and look at them herself. So, I used food. I coaxed her to be a big girl and do what the big girls do....read a book while they sip "coffee". I bought a hot chocolate, had the cafe' person "milk" it down for me and served it up. It worked! She's been doing the Barnes & Noble thing with me ever since.
Now I have boys...
They are a whole 'nuther story. Thank goodness for the Thomas the Train set they have for the little kiddos in the children section. The road to getting those boys to sit with their books is going to be a bit further off then it was for Gracie.
Neither one of my tag-team wrestlers have started out with any interested in reading on their own. I literally had to MAKE them sit while I read Dr. Suess's ABC's to them. I put them in my arms and held the book, reading in as much of a sing-songy voice as I could muster to try and make it interesting to them. The more I read, the more they became familiar with the book and the more they were willing to sit on their own. Sumo, the 4yo is beginning to read small three letter words, and loves being read to. The struggle was worth it. Kano, the 2yo is, uh...another story. We are still reading Dr Suess's ABC's. It's the only one that he'll sit through. There is something about having to be still and follow along in the linear order of the pages. He loves to flip through books on his own. At this point I'll take whatever I can get.
I remember when Gracie was my only little. She was about four and when I decided that it was time for me to include her in my Barnes & Noble routine. I'm not talking taking her with me in a stroller but actually having her sit and enjoy books along with me. She wasn't interested. I was devastated.
So, I devised a plan. I had always read to her so it wasn't that she didn't like books. She just didn't want to sit and look at them herself. So, I used food. I coaxed her to be a big girl and do what the big girls do....read a book while they sip "coffee". I bought a hot chocolate, had the cafe' person "milk" it down for me and served it up. It worked! She's been doing the Barnes & Noble thing with me ever since.
Now I have boys...
They are a whole 'nuther story. Thank goodness for the Thomas the Train set they have for the little kiddos in the children section. The road to getting those boys to sit with their books is going to be a bit further off then it was for Gracie.
Neither one of my tag-team wrestlers have started out with any interested in reading on their own. I literally had to MAKE them sit while I read Dr. Suess's ABC's to them. I put them in my arms and held the book, reading in as much of a sing-songy voice as I could muster to try and make it interesting to them. The more I read, the more they became familiar with the book and the more they were willing to sit on their own. Sumo, the 4yo is beginning to read small three letter words, and loves being read to. The struggle was worth it. Kano, the 2yo is, uh...another story. We are still reading Dr Suess's ABC's. It's the only one that he'll sit through. There is something about having to be still and follow along in the linear order of the pages. He loves to flip through books on his own. At this point I'll take whatever I can get.
Any book from Disney Pixar is a winner.
Last year, this was his favorite book. On one of our trips to the doc in Philly, it made about 45 minutes on the plane ride heaven. But he wouldn't let me read it to him. He just wanted to look all by himself...and all out of order :)
Reading is not Daddy's favorite thing to do. He'd much rather be wrestling with the boys or throwing a ball with them outside. However, when the boys give him a book and ask him to read to them, he just can't help himself. I run for the camera. Can't you just see how much Sumo is enjoying the story. He never looks like this when I read to him :)
There is a book basket that is a fixture in the boys room. They get a few minutes before naptime to lay in their beds with books. Sumo was around 3yo here. Oh...and I'm not stupid. The only books allowed in their room are the BOARD BOOKS. I'm afraid Kano has still figured out how to dismember those :(
Given how I've told you I love books and want my kids to love them, how do you think seeing this made me feel?
If you want your gets to be interested in books. Read to them. By them good books. Borrow great books from the library. Let them feel special by letting them pick their own books out and having special bag for their books. Start working on developing your own library of the books they just cannot get enough of. Run by Half Price Books every now and then or look on EBay for some good deals.
I have found memories of the books my mother read to me as a child. In fact, my sister and I have been fighting over who gets to take which books to their home now that we are adults. It's a wonderful thing to be reading to my children the same books (with scribble and all) that my Mommy read to me. Don't worry that your kids will grow out of them. Books make great gifts. They also are a great treasure for you to give your grandchildren one day. Now, the question is. Where do I put all of these little treasures. Hmmmm...organization and storage - that's a WHOLE 'NUTHER POST!
I have found memories of the books my mother read to me as a child. In fact, my sister and I have been fighting over who gets to take which books to their home now that we are adults. It's a wonderful thing to be reading to my children the same books (with scribble and all) that my Mommy read to me. Don't worry that your kids will grow out of them. Books make great gifts. They also are a great treasure for you to give your grandchildren one day. Now, the question is. Where do I put all of these little treasures. Hmmmm...organization and storage - that's a WHOLE 'NUTHER POST!
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