[Reading] With My Son

My wife and I, over this past year, have toned down the amount of television and video games in our lives in favor of board games, coloring (though not nearly enough), arts and crafts, and most importantly, reading.

Deke is a smart kid and being read to day and night has taught him things that many adults wouldn't be able to tell you. Ask him who painted the Sistine Chapel, what galaxy we live in or how old the average alligator lives to be. If he's feeling especially cynical he'll roll his eyes and lethargically answer you with a tone in his voice that conveys his emotions quite specifically: "I'm not your monkey and these questions are too simple for my highly advanced intellect, father!" The proper response to this, should you ever find yourself on the business end of my son's understated venom, is to ask him how to spell Michelangelo. Then you pump your fist victoriously and walk away with an over-exaggerated swagger while he looks on with a face covered in exasperation and utter confusion.

Every night before bed the Deeker and I choose a book, get inside his bed tent and spend at least half an hour reading. He stops me and asks questions about the story and I point out different sight words for him to read. When we get to his favourite passages in our most-read books he recites the words along with me. It has become a great bonding experience -- the rest of the world doesn't exist when he and I are in his room with each other and a story. He may not want to go to bed, but he knows that his daddy is going to be there, every night, to cuddle up and share a bedtime story.

Being read to has already proven to strengthen his imagination; he and my wife caught The Tale of Despereaux on TV a few weeks ago, and to his dismay the film looked nothing like the world he had created in his mind during the time we spent reading the novel before bedtime. He still enjoyed the movie, but he preferred the book and wants to read it again. It was one of my absolute proudest moments as a father. We want Deacon to love reading just like us, and that was certainly an indication that he's on his way.

- Nicholas A. Marsico

Other sources:
Benefits of Reading to Children
Reading Before Bed