The family that reads together, dreams together.
Maybe it’s the gorgeous fall weather we’re having right now, but suddenly whole families are coming to the bookstore to shop together. Usually, the families generally pile in en masse on weekends. During the school week, it’s more usual to see one parent with an assortment of the kidlings. For the past 10 days, it has been the season of dads and moms and offspring! Dads reading to their children in the picture book section, dads and moms browsing for books while the kids scatter to find theirs. It’s just lovely to see entire families of reading enthusiasts sharing stories together.
And while it is true that many passionate lifelong readers have grown up in families that didn’t share their love of books, I can’t help but think that growing up with parents who take the time to sit and read with their children, who make it a priority in their own lives, too, can’t help but greatly influence even the most struggling reader. There is something so moving to me about the gentleness (and liveliness, and silliness, and seriousness, and thoughtfulness, and joy, and inquisitiveness) about families sharing books. What better way to help a young person find his or her way into a love of story and discovery, and give them a fluency with the written word? As more and more people disappear into their devices, even and especially when they are spending time with kids, I am heartened beyond measure that the simple pleasure of page-turning still beguiles families.
I love reading with my daughter and sharing my love of books with her. Once she was able to crawl and now walk, we will often find her in her room sitting and “reading” her books. My heart just bursts! She’s 20-months-old now and helps pick out the stories to read before bed. We would not be able to do those things reading on devices. It just doesn’t give you the same feeling.
As someone once said to me (and I liked it so much I’ve used it in newspaper ads over the years) “Read to me. Read with me. I can read!”
Funny juxtaposition…the PW email also sent me this article this morning: http://www.salon.com/2014/10/03/my_kid_doesnt_like_books_and_its_okay/
When reading doesn’t run in families…
My husband and I took my stepsons to the library the other night. When we got home, the 8 year old immediately plopped down to start reading and growled at anyone who tried to interrupt him. The 6 year old said, “That was really fun, can we do it again soon?” Music to my book-loving ears!
Aw, libraries are the best!