read me a book, mama!

We are book-lovers around here.  Dru started a rule when Augie was very young.  The rule is as follows: if one of our babies brings us a book, we read it.  Plain and simple.  You sit down right there and read that book.  We started doing this because we love books and we want to expose our kids to the wonder that they bring.

Now, I used to think children's books were quite boring.  I'm sorry to say that I was one of those people who would have skimmed over and made up my own shorter version to any book I'd read to a child I was babysitting.  Ew.  Oh, if only I knew what I was missing!

These days, I seriously have a love affair with children's books.  With good children's books, that is.  I mean, of course, I don't find anything thrilling about the Berenstain Bears, or Elmo's Bathtime 1-2-3s crap.  Sorry, you know, those are okay if you want to be bored out of your mind.  But if I'm going to read with my kids I want to find something that I enjoy just as much as they do.  I wholeheartedly believe should be a shared joyful experience!  You know you have your hands on some fine literature when it speaks to the soul of you and your four-year-old.  If I am bored with the books I'm reading to my kids how can I expect them to come to love reading?  Again, the point isn't shove them chock full of facts and "make" them smart.  My goal in reading with my children is for my kids to fall in love with the journey of learning and exploring the world through books, not just be filled to the brim with knowledge and hate every minute of it.

I truly love reading with my kids and I am honored that they absolutely treasure this time as well.  As Dru put it, what could be better to a child than sitting in the lap of their parent and hearing their Mommy or Daddy's voice?  We never force it down their throats, so to speak, but if they bring us a book, we read.  And, if they bring us another and another?  We read more.  

I encourage you to find children's books that inspire you!  Find illustrations that captivate you!  Have you read The Paperboy?  One of my very favorite children's books!  Please, give it a try and let me know what you think.  Read slowly and enjoy the cadence in the writing.  Bond with your little one and make time to cuddle up and read together.  I don't think you'll ever consider it wasted time. :)

Finally, I love this poem called The Reading Mother by Strickland Gillilan. It ends like this:

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be--
I had a Mother who read to me