Inspired

Sometimes we need to be inspired to write. Right? Right. Today I was inspired by my husband. I read through his post on his blog where he usually writes about school and his classroom. But today was different because he wrote about our kids. Something I do (almost) every time I write. And I became inspired by his topic: READING! (thanks, honey!)

Setting the Scene:
Sitting on the couch, fireplace on, football game on in the background, cozy in jammies...
A says she wants to read some books. I told her I would but that she had to read a book to me first. This is a habit we're trying to get into each night. They have books from school that they bring home, and those change about once a week. We are trying to find other books they can read to us that are already in our house. And it's happening! They are able to pick books off the bookshelf and read them to us! Yes!!

Last night was the first night that it "officially" happened. We read for about 45 minutes where A would read a book then I would read a book and so on. The boys did the same thing! C's choices were Danny and the Dinosaur and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A read Polar Bear, Polar Bear..., The Foot Book and 2 "baby" board books. She thought it was funny that she picked those. As I sat there listening to both of them read, I wondered when it happened. Did it just happen? Did it happen in November or December? How did it happen? When did they learn to read?! And at this level, too?!

Sometimes people look at us with that well-you're-a-teacher-so-you-know-how-to-teach-them-to-read look. Honestly people, we didn't "do" anything. Well, anything different from the average "parent in the know" about how reading to your child is important. We've been reading to our kids since they were babies. Since they were old enough to see the pictures. You know, you start out with those black and white picture/pattern books. The ones with nothing else because they can't see much else? Yup. We started with those and quickly moved into story books because why not? We haven't sat with our kids and made them do flash cards. We haven't drilled our kids until they've known their sight words. Nope.

I'll let you in on a little secret...I think it's been their teachers. Shhh...don't say anything! It was their Fun For 4's preschool teachers. This year it's their kindergarten teacher who meets with them in reading groups each week and sometimes twice a week. Those are the people who are fostering their love of reading. Yes, J and I do our share at home with encouraging reading, but we can only do so much. There is such a partnership between school and home and I am seeing the positive product here and now, in our own home. And I love every single minute of it.

I wonder what we'll be reading tonight...perhaps some Robert Munsch or Pinkalicious?