**I updated this post because I was worried some things might come across differently than I intended. I truly just wanted to write about how important reading is to me and why I believe it's important to read to Devin. And then I messed up the fonts. Gah.**
I believe that reading opens the door to success in every scholastic endeavor. I believe that reading fosters imagination. I believe that reading introduces you to life experiences you could not get other than living several lifetimes. I believe that reading helps to understand emotions, human relationships, and your place in the world. I believe that reading teaches you to dream and how to achieve those dreams. I believe reading is important.
Devin has loved to read for a long time, but today we had a milestone! Up to this point his interaction while reading would be him making animal noises, pointing at pictures, or "smelling" the flowers, but today I stopped at a word to see if he could put in the right one in the story, and he did! He very clearly said, moon, chairs, mush, and mouse while reading Goodnight Moon (the latter three being new words). And later while reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, he could correctly place cookie, milk, straw, and hair (again, the latter three were all new words). We are entering a fun new interactive phase in our reading. I'm very excited. There is honestly nothing else I would rather do than read to my boy.
Even before the reading development, I've been all fiery and passionate about reading over the past few days. Not that this is really a new attitude for me--I've well-documented my love for reading/books, but after our trip to San Jose I started reading the book I'd just picked up from the library: The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. I may be late in the game in discovering this book, but it is wonderful (highly recommended for all parents). I'm not even kidding that, at least two times, I was brought to tears by this non-fiction book. Just thinking about schools not having books or principals not believing in the need for reading for pleasure kills me. Yes, there are a lot of statistics in the beginning. But underneath the abundance of number information and studies is a point that rings true in my heart: Reading is important. And for me to feel like I'm being a good parent, I need to read to my child. We may not be the greatest parents, but I feel that we're at least doing something right when we're reading to Devin daily and he's asking us to read more books. In fact, for the past month reading has been his activity of choice. I know he needs other interests, and he does like things other than books, but if he's interested in books then I'm one happy mama. I've received almost-negative comments from people about how I'm going to make Devin a reader, but I say, I only hope and dream that he is a reader, because nothing will enrich his life more.
In The Read-Aloud Handbook the author shows statistics that taking a child to the library helps foster a high interest in books. After moving to California, my first item of business, on the fourth day of living here, was to walk to the library and obtain a library card. I honestly cannot wait for the day when Devin has his own library card and takes pride in picking out his own books. Even though the local library is small and old and still contains A CARD CATALOG (kind of adorable), it has an okay children's section. Plus, the county has an agreement with surrounding counties that allows me to request books from other systems. This is where I get the majority of my books (so keep mentioning books your kids are reading because this is how I discover which books to request). We go to the library so often that I have been able to work up a good relationship with the librarian. One would think a friendly relationship wouldn't be hard to foster since there is one librarian, I go to the library at least once a week, and I have an adorable baby boy yelling out letters, but the librarian is a very, very shy man. In fact, I commented to a friend that the librarian really wouldn't acknowledge that he knew me even after several months of going to the library, and she responded that she went to high school with the man and has known him for at least 40 years and he still won't talk to her. But you know that I've been a regular patron when this very, very shy man INITIATES a conversation while I pick up a requested book and proceeds to tell me that he saw a book outside (this was during a fundraising book sale) that he thought I would like since I'd been requesting so many like it lately. HE LOOKED AT ME. IN THE EYES. He then came outside and rifled through books for me! Libraries are great. Even if they are tiny and have a shy librarian and don't have a story time or even a great selection.
All of this has just been a way for me to get out the thoughts in my head. And to thank my parents for reading to me as a child. (The title of the post is from a poster I had in my room growing up.) I have many distinct memories attached to reading/books, and all of them are positive.
The Reading Mother
by Strickland Gillilan
I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.
I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.
I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.
I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings--
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be--
I had a Mother who read to me.
