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| Cover of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom |
The Internet teaches me so many things. Today I discovered a new holiday! Apparently April 2nd is “International Children’s Book Day” and has been since 1967. The holiday is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books.
As the child of an educator I have had a lifelong passion for learning and for books. I read so much as a child that I neglected by assignments, was distracted in class and was sleep deprived because I kept reading after I was supposed to be asleep!
I have tried to instill a love of reading in my daughter. Her nanny, who is studying early childhood education, incorporates reading into her day. Also, Andre and I read to her every night. Like a lot of other parents we use Goodnight Moon to soothe her to sleep. She really enjoys it. Her other bedtime favorite is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. Our child seems to find rhythm in everything and often bops to the beat that she hears in the words of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. It appears that to her, reading is a party!
Our tactics may be working because we have noticed her “reading” to herself. And at times, she “reads” aloud to us. Besides my mother’s influence and my own love of books, I have the “Best Books for Babies” by the Fred Rodgers Company to thank for helping to instill her love for reading. About a year ago we were invited to launch of that program by my dear friend, Maggie Kimmel. Max Starks from the Pittsburgh Steelers read to the children and emphasized the importance of reading. Even though she was only seven months or so at the time she enjoyed the event and the book. (A link to the event appears below.) Before that we had been reading to her somewhat sporadically. However, after that event I was motivated me to read to her more consistently after that. I realized that the librarians and educators are right, babies are never too young to enjoy a good book.
So celebrate this International Children’s Book Day by reading to your child or to someone else’s. You could also buy a book to put in your child’s Easter basket or visit your local library. You know what they say, “reading is fundamental”. http://www.rifpittsburgh.org/
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