Reading can shape child's future (06/05/06)

I read a good book last night. It was called, “Mr. Brown Can Moo. Can You?” by the late, great Dr. Seuss. I had forgotten how much fun it was to make silly sounds for a child although I did have trouble pronouncing the required lightning noises. I wasn’t aware that lightning even made noise. Oh, well. I guess I learned something new.

The Mr. Brown book was a follow-up to “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” another of Dr. Seuss’ masterpieces that I sent to my granddaughter last week.

I try to send one book per week, although I confess to missing an occasional one. Sometimes time gets away from me. I read each book into a tape recorder and send the tape along with the book. I think books are vital to children and the theory is that by reading the books to her she might actually recognize my voice the next time she sees me. It probably won’t work but it’s worth a try.

Besides, why should I be the only one who can recite the first few pages of “One Fish, Two Fish …” 30 or so years after I first read it? My daughter said she read it to Emma, the child in question. She had forgotten how long the book was but she recognized the part about the Gack. It also brought back memories of when she was a little girl and she made me read the same books over and over and over until her favorites fell apart, were taped back together and finally had to be replaced.

I would love to be able to afford to give every child books of their own. But with the price of books these days it is all I can do to slip in a story for my daughter’s sisters kids once in awhile. I have read about programs that provide a book each month for children from birth to age five but have no idea how to go about getting one started.

Reading to a baby lets the child get used to the cadence and sounds of a language while being cuddled. They will eventually learn to talk and also to “read” the books to anyone who will sit still and listen. Of course, the book is often upside down and the words don’t always match what’s on the page but that’s OK. I don’t always read the books exactly right either. I tend to substitute the child’s name for one of the characters in whatever I’m reading and also ask silly questions about the pictures.

I did this for Emma’s cousin, Kaila, while reading a story about ducklings. Then when her mom read the same book and read it word for word Kaila told her she was reading it wrong. Oops.

Last year at this time I was attempting to crochet a baby blanket for the unborn child. The blanket is now finished and is reasonably flat. The child is healthy and happy. She thinks it’s funny to get her toes caught in the lacy crochet. I don’t know if she associates it with being read to or if it is just something she takes for granted.

Learning to crochet, reading children’s books and all the other little things I do are some of the ways I try to introduce Emma to the traditions that made her mother the wonderful person she is. Some of our happiest memories revolve around stories read at bedtime.

Both Emma’s mother and father are readers as are two out of three sets of grandparents. Therefore, I have no doubt that Emma will grow up to love books as much as I do. Who knows? She may even grow up to be a great writer. Do you think Dr. Emma sounds more like a children’s author or a mystery novelist? Maybe she will change her name to Seussette or something equally inane and attention getting.

Whatever path she chooses we will be proud of her and will encourage her every way we know how. Only time will tell what her future holds. Until then I have more story books to record. Maybe I’ll find one about a princess who rescues a prince or one about turtles that turn up on Tuesday. Maybe I’ll read “Green Eggs and Ham.” I really do like them, Sam-I-Am. I really like reading “Green Eggs and Ham.”[[In-content Ad]]