Read Me a Story

Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday and as all educators know, it's Read Across America Day.  So it only seems fitting that I blog about reading tonight on this, one of my favorite days to think about how much I love reading and always have.

My daughters are readers.  And by readers, I mean they have literally run into things because I can't get them to get their noses out of books.  They have both had comments on their report cards about needing to put their books down and follow instruction (believe me, it pains a teacher to say that!). And you know what?  I love it.  I don't know if it is because my husband and I are both readers or because I have been reading to them since I knew they were in my belly and still do.  I love that they love reading as much as we do.

That's right, I said "still do".  I still read bedtime stories to my kids.  They are 9 and 12.

I, like I'm sure many parents, thought that bedtime stories were for kids who couldn't read.  I remember when they would have books memorized and started "reading" to me.  And oh, the times I read their favorites.  I would get so sick of reading the same book over and over (I am pretty sure I still know all the words to "Pinkalicious").  Then once they really could read, they would want to read to me.  And it really didn't matter, because we were still reading and discussing books together.  But then they were old enough to read to themselves and could put themselves to sleep on their own reading chapter books.  I was.....completely bummed.

Guess what I realized?  It didn't have to end.  One day I was thinking about when I had Mono in high school and my mom read "Little Women" to me.  I still remember that.  I don't mean I remember the book.  I mean I remember how that made me feel to have my mom read to me when I was in high school. It was such a special time.  And that memory was all I needed.

Now I read books to my girls that they are perfectly capable of reading on their own and could read way faster if they weren't waiting on me.  Sometimes it's a book I loved as a kid, like Judy Blume or "The Witch of Blackbird Pond".  With my 12 year old, we read a lot of classics that I never read.  Currently we are working through the Chronicles of Narnia. Sometimes it's books they have turned ME onto, such as "The School of Good and Evil" and "The Land of Stories".

This is still precious time with my children but for different reasons now.  A lot of times after I read, they share problems at school or things they are upset about.  It's like story time has taken them to a safe place and now they are ready to talk.  And depending on what you are reading, all kinds of discussions can take place from your book.

So on Read Across America Day, I encourage you to consider reading to your kids, no matter what their age.  I bet if you bring it up with yours, they might look at you weird a minute but once you do it, they will love that you are spending one on one special time with them.

And as Dr. Seuss would say,
"You can find magic wherever you look.
Sit back and relax, all you need is a book."

~K