Passing on A Love of Reading

There are lots of things I hope Henry picks up for Nick and me.  I hope he learns to work with his hands and build things like Nick,  I hope he becomes a good storyteller like me (non-humble brag),  I hope he loves to learn, like both of us.  But one of the things I have been thinking about a lot lately that I want him to pick up from me is the joy you can find in books.  But here's the thing about that hope... I have a fair bit of control on if it actually comes true. And that is extremely awesome. 

Recently I have been doing a lot of research on the benefits of reading* to children for my capstone project** for my MPH, and all of that research added a spark in my desire to read with Henry.  I mean, we read before that, but mainly the same books we owned again and again, with little enthusiasm from me.  He always liked when we read to him, which was often, but I guess I didn't put any thought into making him see how AMAZING reading can be.  Seeing studies about all the benefits a child gains from being read to made me want to do it more, and to make it something he looked forward to. It made me think about how much I love reading, and how I want him to share that with me.

 So we headed to our local library and talked with the children's librarian about good books to transition from from toddler/single sentence per page books (a la The Very Hungry Caterpillar) to things that are longer stories that included chapters, but still had some pictures. That is where we were introduced to Mercy Watson, and it's like I saw the love of reading literally spark in Henry's eyes.  He wanted to read all the time.  "Just one more chapter... JUST. ONE. MORE."  or "How about we go to bed now so we can read some more about Mercy Watson??" or when I am making toast for breakfast "Is it hot buttery toast?  Mercy and Mama both love hot buttery toast!  But Mercy is a pig and mama is a grown up." 

And the love didn't stop with Mercy, although she is a favorite.  Now every week or so we head to the library to get a couple of new chapter books, and every night he cannot wait to find out what happens next.  We tore through lots of Henry and Mudge books, as well as Mr. Putter books, but what Henry really prefers are longer stories.  Something with at least ten chapters, and this has been a challenge.  So many of those books are about older kids, and include things he can't relate to.  But still, he really enjoyed several of the George Brown Class Clown series, and we are now very into the first Melvin Beederman Superhero book but we are truly on the hunt for another book or series that is as perfect for him as Mercy Watson, so if you have any suggestions, PLEASE leave them in the comments.

But the point is, I am not just reading to Henry anymore, I am actively reading WITH Henry.  We lay there together and read the night's chapters, then we talk about what happened and what we think MIGHT happen next.  Throughout the day I will ask randomly what he thinks about our books, and if he wants to read a couple of chapters now, just for fun.  We are going to the library and picking out new stories, and we are sharing our new favorites with Cici so they can talk about their favorite characters together.  And maybe most importantly, I am making a commitment to myself to keep reading fun for him.  To show him how entire new worlds open up to you when you open a book.  And that you can share those worlds with others who read them too. 

I told him the other day that one day soon he will be able to read his books to Mama instead of Mama reading them to him.  And then, someday after that, he might want to read by himself the way Mama does with her books.  "But"  I promised him, "when that happens, Mama will still read the books you are reading, so we can talk about them together when we are done.  Because there is nothing better than sharing a good book together!"  He smiled and said okay, but the promise was more for me than for him.  I promise to keep reading to him, even when I feel too busy.  I promise to try my best to make reading fun.  I promise to read what he reads, and talk about characters with him, because as an avid reader I know, the next best thing to reading a great book is talking about it with someone else when you are done.  It's something I want to start sharing with him now as we laugh together over silly Mercy Watson, and truly I never want it to stop.


*Not to get too preachy here, but it is the single most important thing you can do for your child's educational future.  Seriously.  Reading to children daily is incredibly important.  Please make the time.

**One of these days I will tell you the details of my capstone/research project, but today is not that day.