If you’ve been reading this blog for even 5 minutes then it’s pretty obvious we are a family of book lovers. The other day I found myself laughing at an incident, which might cause most parents distress (a public temper tantrum), but for me was a clear indication that I was doing at least one thing correctly as a parent: I was raising readers — kids who love books and reading.
So for a bit of summer blogging fun here are:
12 signs you are Raising a Reader.
1. They have a temper tantrum on the sidewalk outside the library when you say you don’t have time to go in today.
2. They finish reading their library books before you even get home.
3. The only effective threat you have in your parenting arsenal is “If you don’t [do what I ask] I’ll return your books to the library.”
4. Your 8 year old wants to go to the library for his play date.
5. Your kids shout “hooray!” and do an elaborate dance when you tell them it’s time to read the next chapter of your current read aloud.
6. Even though the library card limit is 99 books, you still reach the limit. With 3 cards.
7. You’ve had a book checked out for so long you thought you owned it.
8. Your 8 year old screams, “but I haven’t finished my book!” when you tell him it’s time for bed/school/eating.
9. Your 4 year old dissolves into tears when he accidentally tears a book page.
10. You have more books than toys.
11. When your kids get books as gifts, they say, “AWESOME!”
12. Your kids would rather use your laptop to browse the online library catalog than watch YouTube videos.
Are you raising a bookworm? How do they show their love of books? Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? Leave a comment and make us smile.
Jen Robinson says
This is great stuff, Erica! You are definitely doing something right. My own example was that the other night after my husband turned off her light, I heard my daughter howling “But you didn’t read me ANY books today!”. I had read to her right before that, but she expected Daddy to read to her, too.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Heaven help me if I try to get them to bed without a bedtime book!
Genevieve says
There are families who own more toys than books? I guess if every individual lego counted as a toy that might make sense.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Yes, very true Genevieve. Although, to be honest, toy cars run a very close second.
min says
That photo looks all so familiar. I can’t tell you how many times I had to say, “Put down the book so you can walk!”
When I ask our DD if she wants to watch a video, she says, “No! I want to read!”
Erica MomandKiddo says
Now, I’ve confined myself to just saying, “look up when you are crossing the street!” I’ve given up on the rest of the walk.
Chris Eastvedt says
Not only did I walk from class to class with my nose in a book, I’d sit down and continue reading once class started. I’d be so fully engrossed that my teachers felt bad that they had to interrupt me to get my attention. Sorry teachers, but math just can’t compete when they’re a pirate attack in the offing!
Chris Eastvedt says
Sorry. I meant to say “there’s a pirate attack…” Brain disengaged momentarily.
Erica MomandKiddo says
I pirate attack would take all of one’s attention…
Natalie says
The picture is too funny. A lot of those scenarios are played here including the threat of taking away a Kindle or a current book (or books). My 6 year old bookworm can spend hours engrossed in books and then hours with a faraway look on her face thinking about what she read.
Jen says
Love it! My 7 year old’s class was asked to draw a picture of their favourite local landmark or monument (we live in the centre of the national capital so there are lots!). Everyone else picked a famous museum/monument/statue/memorial etc but my son picked our local library – which is a very undistinguished building with no claims to landmark status. He said “well it’s MY favourite local building so I think it’s a landmark’!
Erica MomandKiddo says
That is so cute, Jen! Every library is a landmark, for sure.
maryanne @ mama smiles says
We’ve had that temper tantrum! And I NEED to use your threat. Can’t believe I never thought of that one!
Erica MomandKiddo says
Truth be told, I’m not so proud of that threat, though. 🙂
maryl1 says
I was always with my nose in a book, my daughter was the same. My son was an enthusiastic listener but never read much owing to a vision problem that was not diagnosed until high school. Every Christmas I received a book, and I always gave a book (at least one) to them too. We all feel that it is not really Christmas without a book under the tree. Even in the last few years when both (grown) children were in college/grad school and my salary was drastically cut so no one had money to spare, our entire Christmas consisted of exchanging books. And in the interest of getting the biggest bang for our bucks, we all gave books that everyone wanted to read so we could trade around.
Erica MomandKiddo says
I like the idea of a book exchange at Christmas. As the saying goes, “if you haven’t read it, it’s new to you.”
Sam says
Sounds just like my 6 year old son! He is usually a chatterbox. But, when I need some quiet time, sometimes I ask him to put away the library books. (We have books, everywhere)… He can’t just put them away without reading them. And we have lots of library books. The house would be very quiet except the sound of turning page for quite a while. I just love my bookworm!
Erica MomandKiddo says
Having a bookworm is really a blessing.
Anna @ The Measured MOm says
HA! My six year old is a major bookworm, and we like to tell her that when she was a toddler (before she was talking) she would cry if we drove by the library without stopping. My youngest, on the other hand, (18 months) still doesn’t sit well for books for long, but he’s just started “reading” books on his own. When we hear that sing song baby talk, we know he’s got a book open!
Erica MomandKiddo says
I love it when they “read” on their own. It is so adorable and a sign of good things to come.
Even in Australia says
Before I read your post, but after seeing the title, I compiled my own list here: http://eveninaustraliakidlit.blogspot.com/2013/08/raising-reader.html. Sounds like our kids would get along!
Erica MomandKiddo says
I see a library play date in our future…
Brother Andrew says
97. Your kid has a blog, and her pen name is “A. Story”
98. Sharing rainbows, canyons, architecture, critters, funny signs and other fleeting roadside attractions requires lots of advance warnings, exaggerated sales pitches and/or periodic U turns to prove it is worth a glance.
99. There’s an overturned book or 3 in every room of the house that was wrestled away from a kid without a handy bookmark
100. Only way you can keep books away from showers and meals is reminding reader that books are perishables.
Erica MomandKiddo says
My kids rarely use their bookmarks, too.
Brother Andrew says
96. You remind the child that you know their weakness and can disable a pillow fight, win the argument, cheer them up or stall them endlessly. Simply toss a book in their path.
Pragmatic Mom says
Gulp! I think I am raising a gamer with extremel dexterous thumbs (boy), a hairdresser (girl) and an artist (girl). We are not experiencing any of these signs of reading enthusiasm. I think you need to post on how to achieve this next! Thanks!
Erica MomandKiddo says
Judging by your blog, Mia your kids are pretty big readers too. After all, their awesome mom hosts book clubs just for them!
maryl1 says
Early reading is nice, but not all children are set up to be early readers. For one thing, their eye muscles have to reach a certain stage of development. They need to be able to “sweep” with their eyes (read across a row, then sweep back to the beginning). In earlier stages their eyes fix on a spot, then fix on another spot, etc. This happens at different ages for different children, just like tooth eruption and growth spurts. Many children are not ready for formal reading instruction until they are seven. They may also have gifts in other directions: interest in nature, games, socializing, making things, building. So if you child isn’t showing signs of early reading, don’t worry. If they enjoy sitting with you and listening, that’s great. Keep reading to them and sharing your enjoyment. pick book s about things they enjoy when you can.They are getting all the benefits of reading, especially if you enjoy discussing the book together. My son had an undiagnosed vision problem until he was in high school. Needless to say reading was not a comfortable task for him. I read to him and we read together for many years. My daughter and I are avid readers and love to talk about books. In high school his teachers all thought HE was an avid reader too because he talked and thought like a reader, had a great vocabulary and wide background knowledge. Although not a reader himself he had listened to so many stories and so many book chats in our home that he had accrued the benefits of being a reader. Now he is 26 and he loves reading. I wanted to post this because there are so many great stories here about children dedicated to books at a very young age, and I didn’t want other parents to worry if their child is not exhibiting the same behaviors.
Erica MomandKiddo says
You are right, Mary. Children become readers at different ages. My oldest son was a very early reader, but my youngest is clearly going to be reading at a later age.
Ashley says
Your kids get asked if they are related to librarians and if not told they should be (yeah that happened this week). lol You worry about injuries at Barnes and Noble as your kids grab a pile of books and immediately sit in the middle of the aisles.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Ashley, I often have to tell my son not to sit in the middle of the library or bookstore floor, too!
Natalie says
Loved this! Here is my addition:
To get your child to do chores, you just have to threaten to take away her books.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Oh, yes. Very effective, Natalie!
michelle @ booksmykidsread says
the local librarians know us by name – we had a similar issue Friday night when we walked by the library and it was closed! my 6 year old will plow through 15 books I check out in one afternoon and maybe throw a chapter book in there for good measure. She is always saving her money to buy a new book. I was an avid reader at her age so it doesn’t surprise me. like mother like daughter 🙂 We were reading Library Mouse the other day and my daughter said that she would like to be a library mouse and live in the library. A special treat is going to the bookstore.
Erica MomandKiddo says
It would certainly be convenient for a book lover to live in the library. A dream come true.
mother from Finland says
At the age of one my daughter wouldn’t sit on her potty without a book with her. She insisted to have a book although she didn’t have correct word to ask for it. The happy face when she was given a book to entertain her during the pottytraining!! Nowadays (at the age of ten) she reads constantly, anything, anywhere, anytime. Like her mother at the same age…
Erica MomandKiddo says
This makes me giggle, because I also used books to keep my son on the potty while he was potty-training!
aliciafinnnoack says
Hilarious. Yes, we have had to fight the “no, we can’t go to the library today” tantrums. I generally feel like a jerk if I think anyone is watching it go down. And one time a very concerned woman followed us past the library to tell me she had books in her car we could have because she didn’t want my poor children to go without books. Lady, we just checked out a bag full YESTERDAY.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Too funny. I was wondering during the tantrum, “Do all these people think I’m a bad mom who doesn’t encourage reading?”
shanyns says
We have, at age 8, a reader who can devour books designed for ‘his age’ and will happily read alongside me with more mature books. And yes we love our library. And yes we have more books than most anything else. And books are the first thing we pack to go on a trip, and the first thing unpacked when we get there. Losing a book is reason for frantic searching and tears. Love being a book loving family.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Here’s to book loving families!
Rosemary says
My 2.5 year has just developed a love of books. Her current favorite is “The Sleeping Alphabet.” Her favorite letter in “naughty N.” She wants it read to her all the time. She even brought it to me in the bathroom this morning! I will generally stop anything to read, but I had to ask her nicely to please wait until I was done.
Erica MomandKiddo says
This makes me giggle, Rosemary! I’ve had the same thing happen to me. When I was potty training my son I used to read to him to get him to sit down on the potty. That’s probably where he got the idea!
Swapna says
I’m raising a reader!
The cutest thing was a few days ago, we had a long exhausting day and I was like “I won’t read books today ok? Let’s sleep” and my 3 y.o. Replied with a big frown “but I cannot sleep without reading books mummy!” ‘Twas adorable, read him a few stories right away !
Erica MomandKiddo says
Aw, love that! What a cute story.