Reading to children - My story.

[benburch]

I was on Mike Malloy's show tonight in honor of Molly Malloy's second birthday, and I was there to talk about reading to children.

When my children were little, I read to them a lot. And I would sing them songs at bed time.

When my daughter was 3 1/2 and my son was 4 1/2 I decided to read them a longer book than I usually did, and launched into The Hobbit a chapter at a time. They loved it.

It went over so well, that I decided to read them The Lord Of The Rings - All 1700 pages of it. It look about four months to get through it. They had a hard time telling the difference between the characters Sauron and Saruman, so Saruman became "Fred"! I had to stop to answer questions frequently, and so there were numerous regressions as I reminded them of other parts of the story we had been through weeks before, and as I explained to them how things worked in Middle Earth. It was a great experience, and my children, now adults, remember it to this day.

So, folks, read to your children, and don't be afraid to read them real books. They can handle it if you are patient and can adapt the story to what they can comprehend.

I think it is the most important thing you can do for them when they are little.

[smokey nj]

1. K&R

[driver8]

2. I agree with you -- our kids love to be read to.

I have a four and a half year old daughter and a son who is almost three. They both love books and love to have my wife and I read to them. My daughter has started to bring us longer stories for us to read to her and she does pretty well keeping up.

Excellent post and excellent advice.

K&R!!!!

[ralps]

3. K&R, Cool Call ben!

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. There is a good book about reading to kids

The Read Aloud Handbood by Jim Trelease
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0141001615/ref=ase_bookstorenow57-20/103-9957418-4543022 s=books&v=glance&n=283155&tagActionCode=bookstorenow57-20

Here is his website.
http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/

[cal04]

5. Thanks Ben

great post

[CoffeeCat]

6. That is so sweet...

I think that's amazing that you took on "The Lord of the Rings" when your kids were so little! What an amazing dad you are! My children are 5,6--and they ask a ton of questions about all of the books we read--even "Goodnight Moon"--so I know how patient and involved you must be, with your children. Good for you.

You've inspired me. I think I'll start with The Hobbit, and see how it goes.

I'm with you--that reading is so important. I've been reading to my children since they were infants. I used to read them 20 books a day--that was my goal. It's pretty easy to get to 20 with the board books and picture books for kids. Now, we read about 5 daily.

It's a great opportunity to snuggle up with your children, answer questions, laugh and help them relax before bed time.

I go to Barnes and Noble and get each of the girls one book that reminds me of them. I write a special note to them in it. By the time they're 18--they should have about 40 "special" books with personal messages in them.

Thanks for the great message, and also for being a super father. That's so important to the world...and you are definitely making this planet a better place because of your fabulous "dad skills."

:) K & R

[mntleo2]

7. I Read To My 5 Year Old ...

...starting at the age of 5 and going almost until she turned 9: The Chronicals of Narnia, all of the Wizard of Oz books I could find, The Foundation Series (Arther C Clark) Dune series, Dragon Rider Series, and Perelandria(sp? also C.S. Lewis) and also sang to her. I am glad I did. I did not do that with my sons and I regret it to this day (too tired working those crappy off hour McJobs and not always home at bedtime). Now I am raising my grand niece and she gets read to even though she is not quite a year yet, though we have not started anything so sophisticated as the above. :o)

Cat In Seattle

[w8liftinglady]

8. this is a book I read all my boys...it's SO sweet

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0920668372.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0920668372/103-7938946-7944649?v=glance&n=283155

[Sydnie]

10. I loved reading that book to my kids but

Could hardly ever make it through it without crying ... It is such a great story and sums up a mother's love so well.

[w8liftinglady]

16. me,too...even now,with my boys being "boys"

22,16,and 9...it still moves me

[benburch]

11. Be bought that for my Wife's co-worker...

...who just had her first child.

[hfojvt]

14. a book featured on the TV show "Friends"

Joey had no present for the baby shower, so he grabs that book, which someone else had given and did an impromtu "interpretative reading" which brought the whole group to tears.

[Beausoir]

18. Oh..that one makes me bawl! n/t

[Kadie]

35. Me too.

I have an awful time trying to finish the story.

[w8liftinglady]

48. same here...it is very touching...

[spuddonna]

27. I can't read that book without tearing up...

I got that from my sister-in-law for my son's christening... it always chokes me up! :) And makes me laugh, as I am often feeling like I live in a zoo! :7

[LWolf]

32. My grandson grew up with me singing the song to him

on a regular basis. As a toddler, whenever he needed comfort, he would wrap his arms around me and ask me to "sing the song." As a 6 yo, he finds the story "funny," yet still sometimes asks for the song when I tuck him in, and sings along with it.

[conflictgirl]

9. Very nice. And I agree!

We have read to our children from the time they were babies, and all of them love books. Mr. Conflictgirl and I both believe that reading so much to them was in large part responsible for the fact that the two oldest kids were reading quite proficiently before they started kindergarten. (The youngest is only three, but it looks like he will be reading before school as well.)

BTW - my husband has also read the LOTR trilogy and the Hobbit to the kids, as well as Harry Potter. The oldest boy loves both and, while he still finds Tolkien too challenging to read by himself at age 8, he can read the Harry Potter books on his own.

[benburch]

13. Another story I really loved...

"Stellaluna"

http://www.powells.com/biblio/66-1856022722-1

[MaryRN]

12. You were way ahead of the experts...such a great gift to children...

My mother, a very bright woman who chose to be a stay at home mom, found childrearing rewarding but missed the intellectual stimulation she'd had in the working world...So, she read Shakespeare's plays to me and would "help" me memorize various lines and then she'd have me recite them for company. Now, I recite MacBeth's Witches Trilogy every time I see the chimp on TV! But seriously, it fostered a lifelong love of literature so kudos to you, Ben. Imagine the reduction of illiteracy if more parents did that not to mention the kind of bonding and intimacy that creates in a child?

[Sydnie]

15. Couldn't agree more

We had "story time" every night. When they were little, I would let them pick the book. Many books needed to be purchased many times over as their favorites often just plain wore out.

When they got a little older, I would select a chapter book (not as brave as you with the types nor length) and read a chapter a night. They loved the Chocolate factory books and we read those often, over and over. When they got older still, we would all different have a chapter book and to read each night and took turns reading our chapter out loud to each other. That meant that we had multiple stories and subjects going on every night as well as giving them a chance to read from a book at their own reading level out loud to the rest of the family too. It made for very interesting discussions, the books were of their choosing and about subjects that they were interested in, thus giving the rest of us a chance to get to know them and their interests better through the story and the discussion.

I miss those days, but I also know that they will be willing and able to read to me when my eyes are no longer able to allow me to do it for myself. And hopefully, they will read not only material that interests me but continue to read to me about things that interest them as well.

Thanks for the impromptu PSA Ben. :hug:

[Wilms]

17. That was sweet. n/t

[jarnocan]

19. loved reading to my kids so much

that now I read to kids as a preschool teacher.

[Beausoir]

20. "Fred". Hee hee. Hilarious and so great!

We are working very hard at reading to our children. With 5 kids under the age of 10, it takes planning, but we have learned that our kids want to be read to more than any other activity.

Kids crave reading and being read to.

[Hekate]

21. I read The Hobbit and LOTR to my son when he was nine

It was one of the best things I ever did with him, and we both loved it. He gave oral book reports on them to his 4th grade class.

Over and over we hear that one of the greatest predictors of a child's success in school is whether their parents read to them. Everything seems to come together for the kid: body contact, personal attention, language skills, the parent modeling book-friendly behavior.

My grandson is a bit too young for Tolkein at 20 months, but he sure loves "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" and "Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now." We'll get to The Hobbit in due time.

Hekate

[conflictgirl]

25. Dr. Seuss' The Foot Book was a favorite when ours were under 2.

I think you're right about the predictors of a child's success in school being correlated to parents reading. I am considering going to grad school in library science soon and my 8-year-old said that being a librarian is about the most important job anyone can have. :D

[Hekate]

26. And your 8-year old is right. Good luck in grad school!

Some of my best friends are librarians. :-)

Hekate

[soup]

39. Dr. Seuss "Oh, The Places You'll Go"

has become one of the must haves tucked into our 'welcome to the world!' gift bags. (and I'm such a sap it chokes me up everytime I read it.)

Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat In the Hat, One Fish, Two Fish -
and Eastman's Go Dog, Go-
Oh, and Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books-

So glad we now have grandchildren and get to 'go around again'...

[Hidden Stillness]

22. It is a Great Gift

This was such a wonderful post to read here; it reminded me of my Mom, reading to me as a kid, when I went to bed or just during the day. There are endless benefits to this, and you will discover them your whole life long. It will help your kids to not only love reading and books, abut to be comfortable with them, and not intimidated. I remember as a kid in school, when kids would be reading out loud and come to a word they didn't know and couldn't pronounce, their voices would drop to something almost inaudible and they would get so embarrassed at the thought of pronouncing it wrong, in public--it was painful and awkward to them. Not me; I was always comfortable around words and reading, because of this early and lifelong exposure, and constant acceptance, by my Mom. When I got to a word I didn't know in school, I would just blurt it out the same as any other word. I don't know what it is, tell me, so now I know. All this unintimidated ease came from a lifetime of having reading presented to me as a great thing.

The other beautiful thing that lasts a lifetime, by having had these things read to me, and with me, as a kid, is that you love and appreciate the wonderful parent who shared all this time with you, gave you this gift, and left memories that will never die.

[gumby]

23. Two Kicks

:kick: to Ben for testifying for the American Value of Reading!!!!

:kick: for Malloy for actually reading "1984."

[flyarm]

24. wonderful call!!! my son was here last weekend with his new roomate

and he was telling her ( she just got masters degree in teaching) as we were driving down road where there used to be a used book store..and he told her how much he loved to read..and he said the reason being was..the worst thing he could say to me as a child was .."i am bored"....he said "my mom would take me by the hand and we would walk to the book store..and she would tell me..you can go anywhere in the world, any time and see the entire world through a book"..he told his roomate that i would take him in the book store and say..pick a country..pick a place, any place..and you can go there..without wings or a plane..

and i would find him a book to match what he answered me..

my son was laughing with his roomate..and he said..thats why i love to read today ..he said my mom taught me to love to travel..in my mind..and with a book..

i sat there proudly..and knew i did something right with this wonderful son of mine!!

fly

[IndyOp]

37. Wonderful story flyarm - Thank you for sharing it! (n/t)

[lostnfound]

28. Thanks for the tip! It's not quite the same, but "James & the Giant Peach"

was a hit with my 4 year old, and it was rather long compared to what we had been reading. You are right.

[terip64]

29. Jim Trelease Read Aloud Handbook, best book ever

I read this book when my 22 year old daughter was a baby and it was the most important book I ever read. It is a great reference book as well. Great list of books that are wonderful when read aloud. A new edition comes out on July 25th. Awesome book!

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0143037390&itm=2

[benburch]

44. It would never have occurred to me to need a handbook on this...

...but I'll have a look at it next time I visit the Library!

[hootinholler]

30. Teach, your children well,

Thier father's health,
will surely go by.

Seems to be a CSN day.

-Hoot

[Hun Joro]

31. I read The Lord of the RIngs to my daughter

when she was about four. I began intending to read from it a little before bedtime each night, but she was rapt and would not go to sleep, and I ended up reading until my voice gave out! I think this (along with all the other classic children's literature I read to her) encouraged her to learn to read early - I can't remember how old she was, but she read the books again to herself as soon as she was able. I agree, reading to kids is so important.

[TexasLady]

33. With four of them it wasnt always easy but

I couldnt agree more. The best part is that my older ones take turns with me now to read to my youngest, who is seven. we are doing "Little House" books. Now, she can read it herself with some help, but its a kind of a ritual around here at bedtime. I wasnt perfect at it, but apparently even a little goes a long way.

Now the older kids love to read, and the littlest one is on her way to being one of the best readers in her class.

wish i hadnt missed the call! kudos~

[LWolf]

34. Coincidentally,

I'm reading "The Hobbit" to my grandson right now. We've left the dwarves captured by the elves, and will have to free them tonight. He's 6. While we still read to him, he does more reading on his own now. He will often follow me around the house, reading TO me while I'm doing chores.

[Kadie]

36. My son has enjoyed "how things work" type books since he was 3.

It is scary having a 4 year old explain to you how hydraulics work. LOL

We read everyday. Kids books, magazines, stories with many chapters that take a while to get through. It is something he and I will both remember, and he benefits so much from it.

Great post benburch. Very important subject.

[SmokingJacket]

38. I don't think it's necessarily that important.

My parents never read to me at all. Reading was always a very private and personal experience for us. We went to the library every week and brought home huge piles of books then retreated to different corners of the house to read them. My mother didn't like children's books, didn't like to read out loud, and that was perfectly fine.

What she did give us was plenty of **time** to read on our own. We went to bed early but were allowed to stay up late as long as we were reading. We weren't over-scheduled during the day, and had access to lots of books (though my parents almost never bought us books -- I read pretty much everything in the town library). I still read compulsively and am a writer today.

I do read to my kids, because I like too. But I don't think parents who don't like reading to their children should be condemned as bad parents.

PS -- Reading crap to children is worse than not reading at all, in my opinion. I believe an entire generation of children is being turned off to reading because their parents feel guilted into reading moralizing, poorly written, stupid books to them.

[AllegroRondo]

40. I started reading Harry Potter to my daughter when she was 5.

She's now 12 and totally hooked on reading.

[GeorgeGist]

41. K&R

[blueraven95]

42. My dad read those tom me too!

Both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings as well as The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander and the book of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. My mum read the Wrinkle in Time series by Madeleine L'Engle. Those are some of my favorite memories and I still sometimes remember other events by where we were in the books. My parents read to both of my sisters and me and we are all avid readers now. I can not think of a better example to set, or a better way to spend family time.

[ileus]

43. My daughter just turned 4 and I've read...

Her 100's of books to her many of them dozens and dozens of times. anyway she'll go and get her favorite book whatever it may be at the time and sit down and "read" to herself. She will have most of the pages memorized and can recite them like she's reading them. She'll read to her brother who will turn 2 in September. Sometimes she'll grab up 4 or 5 and read them all in one sitting.

[patdem]

45. Agree, my mom read 'Little Women' to me and my sister at bedtime

and she did ALL of the voices..so we got to know the names by the voices she used for them...IT WAS TRULY ENTERTAINING. More so than TeeVee news in fact!

[Ilsa]

46. I heard you tell that story ast night, Ben! Awesome! eom

[benburch]

47. Thanks! nt

[Missy Vixen]

49. I read to other people's children

We don't have kids of our own, so I'm always thrilled to get to read a story to one of our young friends. For instance, my young friend Audrey visited my store with her mommy a couple of weeks ago. She's almost two, and she loves to hear stories. I read the two books I had (story of two naughty kittens and another book called "Guess How Much I Love You",) three times each because she kept saying, "More!" I then made up a story on the spot about a mouse that lived in a yarn shop :woohoo:.

My favorite children's book is "Love You Forever," but I don't read that one out loud. It makes me cry.

Reading stories to Audrey made my whole week. I can't even imagine how wonderful it must be to read to one's own children.

Julie

[Lydia Leftcoast]

50. My parents read to us until we learned to read on our own

Then, beginning when I was in 3rd grade, I could stay up half an hour after my official bedtime as long as I was reading.

For the second half of sixth grade (we moved that year), I had an old-fashioned teacher who read to us for half an hour after lunch. During the time I was in that class, she read us The Secret Garden and The Yearling.

I'm not a parent, but judging from my childhood memories, I think the bonding with parents and the modeling of literacy is as important as the actual stories.