Reading to our kids

Yesterday, at my son’s 2-year-old well baby appointment, while we waited for his pediatrician to see us after doing the usual battery of tests with the nurse, we sat down and read a book together. His latest obsession is anything alphabet related, especially Dr. Suess’s ABC book.  But I didn’t bring his beloved Seuss with us, for fear of accidentally leaving it behind and instead took along the Whinny the Pooh book of ABC’s, which requires a bit more creativity on Mama’s part, supplying an oral storyline to the images that accompany each letter.

A little while later we were busted; caught in the act. Me sprawled out on the floor, with my little mostly undressed Bean sitting on me, pointing to the letters and naming them. When his doctor came in, aside from her usual joyous greeting, she said: “Good, I see that you’re reading,” as she beamed.  She then asked if we read each day. I let her know that we do, sometimes several times a day. She replied: “Great! You’d be surprised at how many families I see where the kids do not read. They know video games and TV, but books—not so much.”  Indeed I was surprised, for in our house, reading is as much a daily activity as eating. But of course that’s the case in our house, Mama’s a writer and an editor; Papa, an avid reader. There isn’t a room that doesn’t have books in it, most of them read an re-read multiple times; and something for everyone. Bean even has his little collection dispersed in my “office,” his bedroom, my husband’s and my bedroom, the living room and the car. 

Serendipity being what it is, on this very same day, I also managed to land a gig as a parent blogger at babiesonline. What a perfect first post, the subject would make, I thought.  So today, Dear Readers, you get two posts for the price of one.

To read Tips for Promoting Early Literacy, you know what to do. 🙂

 

Copyright © 2008, Erika-Marie S. Geiss