Once upon a time, there was a mom who was a little too enthusiastic about having children to whom she could tell endless stories, snuggled up in a blanket fresh out of the dryer or surrounded by big, soft pillows.
I still have this wonderful memory from when I was in elementary school—times when our whole class would go sit on the carpet in the guidance office to spend a magical moment with the lady with the giant books. Not that they were all oversized—no—but they were so beautiful and full of bright, vibrant colors! I quickly became a regular at the library—I wanted to read everything. EVERYTHING! I could have made a career out of reading.
Now that I’m a mom, I’ve been hoping my little ones would develop a love for books, too. My kids already have a bookshelf packed with all kinds of books. But here’s the thing! To get them to want to read, you have to spark their interest. Since I see books as a precious investment, I let my little explorers show me what catches their eye. What could be better than a not-so-relaxing little trip running through the aisles of the toddler section at the public library with the kids? We pick out a few, check them out, and off we go! Home for a treasure hunt!
Some books will end up staying in the bag, and that’s perfectly fine. What matters is that the book will be wherever the child is. That favorite book from the stack becomes a precious ally in the child’s world. They look at it, touch it, and learn from it.
If your kids are as in love with books as mine are, you’re in for some heartbreak when it’s time to return those precious books to the library counter. Don’t worry—they’ll quickly realize that the shelves hold endless surprises and treasures, islands still unexplored in their eyes. Be smart: create a “favorites” board or lists of future surprises… a book is just as nice to receive as a gift.
In reality, we aren’t always settled in the coziest of spots for a bedtime story. They don’t always feel like having someone read to them either, but it fills me with pride to see my little boy bring me his book and ask me to tell him a story, or to walk into their room and see my oldest daughter telling (from memory!) a little story in her own way to her brother and sister. I hope their love of reading lasts a lifetime—it’s so beautiful to watch them read.