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Potts Pages - Read! Read! Read!
September 01, 2015
Often as parents we worry about the mistakes we made but today I want to celebrate one thing that I know I did right. I read to my daughter. I read to her before she was old enough to know what I was doing. We read books. We read magazines. We read road signs, cereal boxes and just about anything else that had words on it.
She held books in her hands, turned the pages and looked at the pictures. When she was old enough, she read to me. We bought books at bookstores, dollar stores, resale shops, and yard sales. We bought fiction, nonfiction, bedtime stories, seasonal stories and Bible stories. Her Christmas list and birthday list has always included books. Yes, she has an e-reader but still prefers to hold a book in her hand.
I have seen many benefits of reading to my daughter. Here are a few.Good grades Good speller-two time middle school spelling bee champion Reading above her level Better vocabulary for writing papers Reading for pleasure A love for writing Respect for writers and the process of writing A fascination in the design of book covers sparking an interest in graphic design.
September is the American Library Association’s Library Card Sign-up Month. Take the children in your life to sign up for a library card. You may think that this is not necessary since books or so easily accessible these days. The library is still important. They have a wide selection of books that could lead a child in a new direction. Libraries have story hours and other programs to promote a love of reading. Checking out a library book also teaches children respect and responsibility for other people’s property.
If you don’t have children, there are other ways to help a child read. Consider volunteering at your local school or preschool as a reader. Donate books to your library, school library, church library or other programs that get books into the hands of kids. Give books as gifts to the kids in your life and to families that may not be able to afford books. It could make all the difference in their world. Be sure to read the most important book of all, the Bible, to the children in your life, It could mean all the difference in their eternity.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) (KJV)
She held books in her hands, turned the pages and looked at the pictures. When she was old enough, she read to me. We bought books at bookstores, dollar stores, resale shops, and yard sales. We bought fiction, nonfiction, bedtime stories, seasonal stories and Bible stories. Her Christmas list and birthday list has always included books. Yes, she has an e-reader but still prefers to hold a book in her hand.
I have seen many benefits of reading to my daughter. Here are a few.
September is the American Library Association’s Library Card Sign-up Month. Take the children in your life to sign up for a library card. You may think that this is not necessary since books or so easily accessible these days. The library is still important. They have a wide selection of books that could lead a child in a new direction. Libraries have story hours and other programs to promote a love of reading. Checking out a library book also teaches children respect and responsibility for other people’s property.
If you don’t have children, there are other ways to help a child read. Consider volunteering at your local school or preschool as a reader. Donate books to your library, school library, church library or other programs that get books into the hands of kids. Give books as gifts to the kids in your life and to families that may not be able to afford books. It could make all the difference in their world. Be sure to read the most important book of all, the Bible, to the children in your life, It could mean all the difference in their eternity.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) (KJV)
Sue
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Posted on: September 01, 2015
I read books to my kids as well, not as often as I would have liked, but each night when it was way past bed time, I would notice a small light coming from my son’s bedroom. I walked in and found a blanket over his head and as I lifted up the corner of the blanket my son had a small flashlight and reading one of his Star Wars books. My brother was a book worm also. I enjoy reading books of interest. Getting lost in reading a book calms the stress that we deal with throughout our daily lives. On this note, find a book you enjoy reading and sit back and relax. Reading books does the mind good. lol
Posted on: September 01, 2015
I love this idea of celebrating what we did right as parents. Lord knows, we can beat ourselves up for
Posted on: September 18, 2015
Another great piece Sue! And I too love celebrating what we did right as parents. What a novel idea! My husband read to our daughter before she was born. Each night after dinner I would lay on the couch and he’d sat on the floor near by belly and read to our unborn child. He continued reading to her even after she was born. She too became an avid reader and preferred books over Barbies and baby dolls. Thank you for sharing....I love your blog my friend!