Reading is such an important skill to develop when you're young, and the key is to have fun. This can be easier said than done when you're trying to read a story to a little one who is preoccupied with toys, their clothes, YOUR clothes, and anything that can divert their attention. Needless to say, reading time in our house consisted of starting a book, pausing every couple minutes to remind our younger kids to be quiet or pay attention, and occasionally getting frustrated and threatening to stop. Yet all our 3 kids always get excited for story time, or even going to the library.
Now, John (my husband) is taking a children's literature class at the moment and the first book he has to read is Reading Magic by Mem Fox (a must read for any parent). And he was transformed by this book, as I was just by listening to him talk about it. One of the key points in the book is to keep reading fun. That means, if they are not sitting at attention hanging onto your every word, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. Just keep reading to them.
Huh! That honestly never occurred to me; however, reading time quickly became a fun event, not just for them, but for me as well.
Then today, John, Bella, and I all went to the library to get the kids started on their summer reading lists. Bella sat down and I started to read her a book, but she quickly took over.
I was amazed; so was the librarian and a couple of other people. My 3 year old daughter was reading by herself. It was possibly one of the best moments of my life.
Who's ready for storytime? :-)
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