Read. More. That is pretty much the gist of my first mom goal. I come from a family of big readers. While I enjoy reading, I honestly don’t do it enough so I would like to change that in 2021. I want to read more and I want to read more with my boys. By placing a high value on reading, I hope to help them connect with books in a way gives them pleasure in reading as well as form good habits that will last. Prior to retirement, my mom was a librarian for a school that was kindergarten through second grade. Being an attorney, my dad not only read a lot for work, but he is also the guy that is half-way through one of the several books he gets for Christmas before the rest of us are done opening presents. So, I had good examples all around me. My mom was very enthusiastic about reading and because of her field of expertise, she was also an authority on children’s books. There are so many things I love about reading a good book. I love getting lost in such a well-written story that you are unaware of the time that passes as you turn the pages. Characters you want to meet and books you don’t want to end. Historical novels have the added bonus of educating me about a different time and set of circumstances that I might otherwise not have given any thought to. I remember how I felt when reading some of my favorites growing up. The visual imagery in following Mary Lennox on her journey from India to England and then her exploration of Misselthwaite Manor made reading The Secret Garden one of my absolute favorite book memories. Roald Dahl was also a favorite in our house. Has anyone who read The Witches forgotten how to spot one? I also have a special place in my heart for The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. Three siblings meet a professor and learn about a magical land which they eventually travel to in search of the last Whangdoodle. This was a story that brought my imagination to life and I had such fun getting whisked off into the adventure. Just what all good books should do. It was written by Julie Edwards which is the married name of Julie Andrews. Yes, the one and only. As if her singing and acting talent was not enough, it turns out she is an accomplished author as well. Maria Von Trapp, Mary Poppins, and a children’s book author. What a resume. Anyone else feeling like an underachiever? Good times. Great times, actually. I want my boys to have their own adventures within the pages of stories they will still remember when they are my age. We won’t talk about what age that is so let’s just move on.
The Rationale
I think most of us know that reading to children offers many benefits. It helps children developmentally and encourages good reading habits. However, I wanted to do some research to learn some specifics and get some input from others who have implemented some of the goals that I want to tackle. It was not hard to quickly find an impressive list of things that as a mom, I am all for. The information I found reinforced that reading to children helps with their overall success in reading later in life. The part of the brain that is involved with visual imagery, word meaning, and story comprehension is strengthened. Reading helps with attention span and increases exposure to vocabulary they might not otherwise get to use in everyday conversation. I read that this increase in vocabulary actually helps with expression of emotions so it can cut down on frustration as children learn how to describe what they are feeling. Reading has been linked with less hyperactivity as well. Another benefit I liked was that reading offers an additional way to connect with your little ones at the end of the day. It is a time that helps them calm down and be ready for sleep. Reading stories can also spark conversations with your kids and provide an opportunity for them to bring something up that maybe they don’t know how to discuss. For example, what if my child is anxious about starting school and does not know how to express that? If we read, Harry and the Dinosaurs Go to School, he might feel comfortable talking about it. It would also provide an opportunity for me to ask something like, “Do you have any of those same feelings that Harry described?” This is a great way to connect and aren’t we all happy to find more of those?
The Renovation
I also read some different blog posts and articles about the best ways to encourage good reading habits. One consistent point that kept coming up was a dedicated reading space for kids. Providing a cozy, cute reading space just aids in making the activity itself more attractive. We just happen to be in the middle of doing a redesign on the boys’ rooms so I thought it would be a good time to incorporate this as a goal. One of our upstairs bedrooms is significantly bigger with its own bathroom so we are planning on getting some bunk beds and making a creative, fun room for the boys to share. We got their input of course and they are on board. I am excited because I love to decorate but I also think it will help encourage them to stay in their own room if they have each other. I am still in the ‘gathering ideas’ stage but the plan is to have a full over full bunk bed probably running lengthwise against the bigger wall, so it opens up more space in the room. I would like to have at least one decent bookcase for our reading area, possibly two depending on how big they are. This not only helps with my goal for a dedicated space to read but it also solves another problem. I basically have one set of built-in bookcases in our living area and no other space for books. We are overflowing with books. If I can transfer at least a good part of the boys’ collection to their room, it would help. I want to add a seating area and then fill in the rest with all of their favorite things. Hopefully, we will end up with a great space that is all their own. I look forward to sharing some pictures of our progress as we get going on this and then the final product of course.
At the heart of my ‘read more’ goal is being faithful to set aside time every day for reading together. My little one will learn as he hears us read to him and my oldest can practice reading to us as well. We are going to try dedicating the time right before bed 5 nights a week to be our reading time. Pajamas are on, teeth are brushed, and we have their full, undivided attention as they start to wind down for the evening. Well, that is the plan anyway. I certainly don’t want that to be the only time we read, as I hope this will lead to increased interest and frequency of reading, but it is a place to start. I think this will be good for us. We like reading but as I am sure you all know; the days and nights can be chaotic. It was easier when they were younger because I could just sit them on my lap and read as many books as I wanted. As they grow, they get into other things and sometimes competing with devices and games is a challenge. Good intentions fall flat. So, I think, for us, having a set time in place will help us as we seek to form a habit of reading.
I researched some recommended books based on my boys’ ages and decided to kick things off with some new material. I feel like I will be getting the best of both worlds. With my 5-year-old, I still get to read all the great children’s books out there that are so creative and beautifully illustrated. My oldest still enjoys those too but is also practicing some early reader books. So I get the joy of introducing them to some of the greats from my generation. I am including a link to one of the articles I read that I found useful. I like that at the bottom are additional links for lists of book recommendations broken out by category. My oldest enjoys math, so I appreaciated the suggestions for books that inspire mathematical imagination, for example. For ideas for early readers, I am just searching for books based on my child’s interests.
Why Reading Aloud to Kids Helps Them Thrive |… | PBS KIDS for Parents
So, there you have it. My ‘Read More,’ rationale and renovation plan for 2021. The only thing left to do is locate the intro music to the Reading Rainbow series so I can play it at night just before we settle in with our book selections. I loved that show. If any of you have great suggestions for books we should include in our library, please do share. I can’t wait to get started on this room in the ‘Story Tower’ of my castle. (see previous blog post for more about that).
Below are some of my favorite quotes about reading. I will probably say these over and over until my children are sick of them. I am also thinking of adding a quote to our reading space as well. Etsy has some cute ones like the one at the link below. Given our love of dinosaurs, I am also considering the second one. So many cute ideas!
Reading The More Things You Will Know Dr. Seuss Quote | Etsy
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”-Dr. Seuss
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.“-Walt Disney
“So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install, a lovely bookshelf on the wall.”-Roald Dahl
“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax all you need is a book.”-Dr. Seuss
“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.”-Roald Dahl
I also can’t wait to see what my boys’ favorite books will be. What will be their Whangdoodle? Last, but not least, I wanted to share one of my favorite quotes from The Secret Garden,
“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.”-Frances Hodgson Burnett
The story reminds us that filling our minds with positive thoughts forces out the ugly, disagreeble ones. Focusing on their garden and filling their thoughts with all its beautiful possibilities resulted in a complete change in disposition for Mary, and Colin stopped fearing the worst about his health. They both blossomed.
Out with the ugly and the negative. In with the beautiful and the positive.
A great way for us all to kick off 2021, don’t you think?
