Heart to Heart

This evening when I crawled into bed next to Mackenna, she instructed me to hand her a book because she was going to “read” to me tonight. Oh, and she also told me to keep my lips shut. Honestly, I have no clue where she gets her bossiness.

As she proceeded to “read” Fancy Nancy Heart to Heart, my heart was bulging with pride as she told a story that went along with the pictures. Admittedly, she has been read hundreds of books over the course of her five years. But, I also have to wonder; does she know how to “read” a book because it has been repeatedly modeled for her? This emergent literacy skill she possesses is crucial for starting kindergarten.

I don’t expect every parent to put the same passion into reading as I do. For me, reading is as big a part of my life as breathing. That 's why I’ve chosen my profession. However, modeling reading to your child doesn’t mean you have to sit down with a 400-page book. There are many ways you can model reading, such as enjoying a magazine or a coffee table book, reading the newspaper, cooking with recipes or using directions to put something together.

Remember reading doesn’t mean you have to pick up a fiction book. Use the opportunity to read an information book to learn about a topic you’ve always wanted to know more about. Although for me, I’m always game for picking up the latest, racy Janet Evanovich book.

Happy Reading!