There is a soulful elation that bubbles in their grandfather when I watch these two rascals read together.
With the eldest, a fine young lady, there was a time when screen time would be allowed to take precedence. Some minor steering input from her parents immediately changed her favorite pastime to something more fruitful—seen here on an early winter’s evening, captured by their Dad.
When she told me she had recently completed the first two books in a particular series, I immediately offered to order and send the rest without delay. It’s a worthy investment. And, yes, she uses the library too.
But books in the hand, with a few on the shelf, feel like wealth to a child who loves to read.
One benefit of reading in view of others is that it’s a gentle reminder that there are plenty of things to do without needing a screen to be powered up.
So, watching the little guy decide to put down the truck or dinosaur replica and grab a book to read with his sister is proof positive that people learn from watching others.
And she reads to him quite often, him returning the favor by reading to her, albeit with different words than are on the page, but those will come soon enough.
Pretty soon, he grabs his own, both of them passing the time in silence before bedtime comes.
Read to your kids, and maybe they’ll read to their little brothers and sisters; someday to their own.
It’s worth your time.
From the Jagged Edge of America, I remain,
TC