I learned to read when I was four. I think that's technically a little early, but if we're being honest it depends on each kid and their family dynamic when they learn to read. Saying my family reads is a bit of an understatement....okay, it's a huge understatement. I grew up surrounded by books.
Every week my Mom would take my older sister and I to the library, she never really set a limit to how many books we could get. She constantly encouraged us to read. I remember making friends in the children's room at our local library and my these little friends telling me how they were however many years old so they could check out that amount of books...I was baffled. I took a pile of picture books to my Mom and said I want to check out these ones and all I ever heard was okay, what'd you find?
Sure there were some books that she said no to as I graduated from picture books, never because she thought I was incapable of reading them, no matter the reading level if I said I wanted to read it she was on board. She only ever said no when a book had what she considered too mature of content for my current age.
I feel like too much emphasis is put on "reading level" I know it all stems from a good place at heart, we don't want kids discouraged at reading because they tried something too hard for them. Personally I thrived being given nearly free reign on books once I learned to read. If I was struggling with a book, my Mom always told me give it the first chapter. If it's still too hard to get through or hasn't gotten more interesting, put it down, find a different one. That's something that I still live by today.
Books were my world growing up. I abandoned books for quite a few years when I got busy in high school and college, reading only very casually. The first time I sat down again after such a long reprieve from real reading, from sitting in the same chair all night until you finish the entire book, from not wanting to put your book down, spending the entire day at work unable to wait to get back to the story and find out what happens next. That feeling, it was like coming home to myself. That feeling is something I have been chasing since, making long reading lists like I used to watch my Mom make, listening to audiobooks while I drive to work. Books have given me so much, perspective, knowledge and simply happy moments. I hope they do the same for you.
Every week my Mom would take my older sister and I to the library, she never really set a limit to how many books we could get. She constantly encouraged us to read. I remember making friends in the children's room at our local library and my these little friends telling me how they were however many years old so they could check out that amount of books...I was baffled. I took a pile of picture books to my Mom and said I want to check out these ones and all I ever heard was okay, what'd you find?
Sure there were some books that she said no to as I graduated from picture books, never because she thought I was incapable of reading them, no matter the reading level if I said I wanted to read it she was on board. She only ever said no when a book had what she considered too mature of content for my current age.
I feel like too much emphasis is put on "reading level" I know it all stems from a good place at heart, we don't want kids discouraged at reading because they tried something too hard for them. Personally I thrived being given nearly free reign on books once I learned to read. If I was struggling with a book, my Mom always told me give it the first chapter. If it's still too hard to get through or hasn't gotten more interesting, put it down, find a different one. That's something that I still live by today.
Books were my world growing up. I abandoned books for quite a few years when I got busy in high school and college, reading only very casually. The first time I sat down again after such a long reprieve from real reading, from sitting in the same chair all night until you finish the entire book, from not wanting to put your book down, spending the entire day at work unable to wait to get back to the story and find out what happens next. That feeling, it was like coming home to myself. That feeling is something I have been chasing since, making long reading lists like I used to watch my Mom make, listening to audiobooks while I drive to work. Books have given me so much, perspective, knowledge and simply happy moments. I hope they do the same for you.
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