Raising Readers

One thing I desire as a parent is to raise kids who LOVE to read.

We started reading to our oldest daughter when she was just a couple months old. She would cuddle up with her dad in the soft yellow chair in her room and listen to him read Goodnight Moon. Last night, this same child stayed up quite late (unbeknown to me) to finish reading a book she started that same day. What?! I didn’t do that until I was in college and that was mostly because it was an assignment. She has experienced the magic of reading and I’m thrilled.

My second daughter, who’s becoming a great reader, recently told me she wants to read so she won't be bored. Yes!

I started a tradition with our oldest daughter to give each child a classic book for Christmas. I write a note on the title page telling them why I chose this book for them.

For my daughter’s first Christmas, she received The Secret Garden. I chose this book not only for it's wonderful story, but the cover made me think of my daughter’s middle name, Rose.

My second daughter received Anne of Green Gables. Her spunk reminds me of Anne Shirley! I can totally picture her accidentally dying her hair green!

My little boy received 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for his first Christmas because it was one of his dad’s favorites as a kid.

So far we have quite the collection. Little Women, Stuart Little, The Wizard of Oz, Robinson Crusoe, Alice in Wonderland, just to name a few. These are books I hope we’ll read aloud together, books I hope they’ll read on their own, and hopefully books they’ll treasure and want to take with them someday. They should each have a nice collection when leave home (sniff).

There are so many great books I can’t wait to introduce them to. Someday my girls will read Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion (squeal)! And then I’ll get to tell them all about The Count of Monte Cristo and To Kill a Mockingbird. The list goes on…

What are some of your favorite classics or reading traditions?