Raising a happy reader (Part 2)

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Giselle brought up an interesting point on raising happy readers. Her comment goes, “…while having books around is good, I think it is just as important for them to see their parents read (and enjoy reading).”

Spot on, Giselle! While we did grow up in a home full of books, what was key in developing our love for reading was seeing our parents enjoy reading themselves. A room full of readers tickles my heart, perhaps because it brings back memories of reading together as a family back in my childhood. It’s a practice we’ve carried on for Timmy.

Great-grandma reading news. Me reading Library Confidential. Timmy reading The Book That Eats People. Reading is fun!

That’s me reading Library Confidential, Timmy reading The Book That Eats People, and his great-grandmother Maymee reading the newspaper. Seeing other folks seated and reading encourages him to do the same. It’s an awesome 10 to 15 minute respite from running around.

My sister P pointed out that while we love to read, we’ve been reading more and more from our e-book readers. This gives Timmy the impression that we’re playing games as he associates tablets with gaming. So while we love our Kindles, it’s still critical that we still read from paper books. We’ve got a whole pile of unread paper books at home, so not only can we demonstrate the love of reading from paper books to Timmy, it also encourages us to catch up on our to-be-read list. Yey for hitting two birds with one stone!

*****

One evening, I had tucked Timmy in bed. I was telling him a bedtime story and he was drifting off to sleep. In the middle of my storytelling, he suddenly bolted upright. “Book. Angingals. Book.” (Book. Animals. Book.)

I was telling him the story of the little pig and a couple of animals when he suddenly remembered his Noah’s Ark book. He scrambled across the bed, crawled towards our bedside table and grabbed his book.

He began to read. Flip the pages. Laugh every now and then, pointing out the animals and calling them by name. When he was done, he closed the book. He snuggled up against me and drifted off to sleep.

I’ve got a book lover right here.

9 Comments on Raising a happy reader (Part 2)

  1. Ma. Teresa Grech Quiatchon Racal
    March 11, 2013 at 3:30 pm (11 years ago)

    hi!!! I love reading books as well. To be honest the last quarter of 2012, I have bought a LOOOOT of boos which I will be reading this summer. When I was pregnant with my eldest I read a books as well, and as early as toddlers I let my kids browse to a lot of books… going to the mall(s) is not complete unless we pass either National Bookstore, PowerBooks. It is like a candy store for me. 😉
    Ma. Teresa Grech Quiatchon Racal´s last blog post ..Happy Hearts Day!!! (2013)

    Reply
    • Toni
      March 11, 2013 at 4:37 pm (11 years ago)

      Grech: Yey for reading!

      Reply
  2. Daphne
    March 11, 2013 at 3:59 pm (11 years ago)

    That is a good habit to pass on to your kids. I grew up in a house filled with books. My parents never bought us any toys, they always gave books as gifts for every special occasion. In elementary school, my sister and I were always joining spelling bee contests and most of the prizes if not all of them were always books. Soon enough our house turned into a big library. 😀

    The downside to reading is having eye sight problems. My sister and I started wearing prescription glasses when we were as young as 5 years old. So I’d advise you to get Timmy’s eyes checked, early.

    But it is a minor setback as reading is truly a priceless hard habit to break. :) Glad to know that Timmy is a bookworm just like his mom!

    Reply
    • Toni
      March 11, 2013 at 4:36 pm (11 years ago)

      Thank you Daphne for the advice on having Timmy’s vision checked early! Will definitely need to do that before he starts school this year. :) I have bad eyesight myself because of reading!

      Reply
  3. Martine | WAHM. Wife. Blogging Belle.
    March 12, 2013 at 9:53 am (11 years ago)

    Vito loves to read, too. But, yes, we are wary of the eyesight concerns. That’s why we make it a point to take him out as well, to look out into the distance a lot. Apparently this helps their vision; American Indian tribeswomen practice this regularly with their babies (according to my uncle, the opthalmologist).

    A bit of geek-ism there for you. Haha! :)
    Martine | WAHM. Wife. Blogging Belle.´s last blog post ..You Are Your Child’s Best Teacher: A Workshop by The Learning Basket

    Reply
  4. ceemee
    March 12, 2013 at 11:28 am (11 years ago)

    I love books too! And it makes my heart swell when my children would suddenly get a book and ask me to read it, even though they’re mostly looking at the pictures, especially the pop-up ones. My hubby doesn’t like to read books, so raising a reader is dependent on me.
    ceemee´s last blog post ..International Women’s Day, Cymplified!

    Reply
  5. Jackson
    April 18, 2013 at 7:34 pm (11 years ago)

    Hear, hear! My love of literacy comes from my mother, who was never without a book in her hand. She’d be standing at the stove, stirring pots with one hand, Ed McBain or Jane Austen in another hand. As a results, my siblings and I (I’m the baby of six) are readers. We grew up in the inner city, mind you, and went to public school. No one was reading but us, thanks to mom. My cousins, whose parents were affluent professionals, grew up in a house filled with books. They went to chichi private schools like Dalton and later I. League spots like Yale. None of them are readers today–educated, but not Readers. And even with their fancy educations, you can tell by listening to them they are not Readers. Hooray for reading moms–and dads!!!

    Reply
    • Toni
      April 23, 2013 at 7:25 am (11 years ago)

      Jackson: Thanks for those insights! Inspiring stories.

      Reply

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