My Kids are Reading Voraciously

Here’s a photo I snapped this evening (using my smart reasonably intelligent phone):

I took this picture at about 8:00 in the evening. Owen is reading to his sister, who selected the Dr. Seuss classic Hooper Humperdink…? Not Him! to read with her brother. In fact, she was on a bit of a Seussian kick this evening, as she also had him read Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham, and Would You Rather be a Bullfrog?

This is so great for so many reasons I’m not even sure I can count them all. Still, I’ll try…

1) I once read that the best indicator that children will grow up to be lifelong readers is not whether or not they were read to, but whether or not they observed their parents reading. My kids certainly observe their parents reading all the time. My life has become immeasureably improved in profound ways due to books I have read through the years (75.1% of the books I’ve read are non-fiction), and I am thrilled to see this love of learning being passed onto my kids. It’s a great way to ensure that, in a world of Tweets and memes, they will possess the desire and talent to thoroughly digest a topic when the need arises.

2) Owen is almost done with second grade, so I’m pleased that he’s become a competent reader by now. Earlier this weekend, I saw him reading a book on dinosaurs, and another one on the periodic table. The book he’s reading to Isla in the above photo is, of course, a few steps down from he earlier reads, but I like that he kept his audience in mind and read to her level. Overhearing him this evening, I was happy to hear him not only read every word correctly, but to also employ that sing-song voice that’s so vital to bring Seuss’ words alive.

3) Jennifer and I read to that kid all the time – and he owes us. While other two- and three-year olds would fall asleep in the car on the way home and then allow mom or dad to lay them sweetly into be for the night, Owen would bolt straight upright upon putting the car in park (I can’t tell you how many times I drove at about 1mph to avoid coming to a complete stop at red lights, and thus waking up Owen), and demand performing his routine, even if it was 11:30 at night. Yes, yes, of course we would say, “No, it’s too late and we’re too tired,” but then he would be upset and cry for an hour. All in all, then, it was better to just do the routine. And that routine consisted of reading – sometimes ten books at a time. And, like me, he had a preference for non-fiction. I had to force him to sit through Cowboy Small one evening in an effort to show him there’s joy to be had in fiction, as well. So, yeah, he owes us. Glad to see him helping out in the evening as we wind things down.

4) Isla is an incessant reader. She brings us books all the time and, if we’re too busy, she’ll sit on the floor, page through book after book, and approximate the text as best she can. She doesn’t even need a book; she’s happy to “page” through old birthday cards, instruction manuals, and even completely blank Post-It Note pads. It’s tough to keep up with her apatite for reading. In fact, all those anti-gay marriage troglodytes are wrong: The best family for a child is not 1 man + 1 woman, it’s, like 5 men + 5 women. I know this because Jennifer and I can hardly keep up with the two we have. It’s great of Owen to help out in this regard.

Jennifer and I believe that Isla will begin reading at a younger age than Owen. I hope she does. Owen spent the last hour of his night reading quietly up in the bedroom before turning off the light. I checked in on him and he looked up from his book and told me some fact about this flying reptile from the Cretaceous Period that was seven times larger than humans. “Daddy,” he said, “I was picturing you standing outside and then trying to picture something seven times bigger than you! Oh wow! I can’t even think of how they could fly!” Isla, likewise, will be able to keep herself occupied a lot easier once she can read.