A recent article in the WSJ The Great Gifts of
Reading Aloud
was a nice wake-up call about the importance of reading
aloud to children. It made me think what a daunting challenge parents face
today to overcome the ubiquitous presence of screen technology.
A dad recently shared with me his personal
experience of reading with his four year old son. “I never thought to read and
talk to my child about the story. I now realize, the good stuff happens
when the story comes to a close and the talk begins.
“Taking to my son about the story opened up a new
way for us to be together, sharing our thoughts and feelings. I think I become
a better parent in those moments, when I am most open and emotionally
available. I realize how relating to ideas in a story are my son ‘s building
blocks of imagination, empathy, critical thinking, and creativity—all crucial
qualities I want to him to cultivate.”
In our fast moving, media-saturated world, reading
with our children and talking with them about what matters is more important
than ever before.
The recent discovery of a new Dr. Seuss book, What
Pet Should I Get? is a nice reminder how no one ever outgrows a picture book.In
Seuss’s own words—
You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a
book and read to a child.
And a child never outgrows the love they feel
when they are being read to.
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