Obviously, I love books (duh). But I'm a s-l-o-o-o-w reader, which people usually find surprising. Most people assume that librarians are super-human speed readers, and while that might be the case for some, it's NOT for me. It's hard for me to turn off my writer brain when I read, so I read like a writer--I notice sentence structure, word choice, figurative language--all of those things that English teachers geek out on.
Because of this fact, I have piles of books that I want to read all over the place--at school, at home, in my car, everywhere.
And this stresses me out. There are so many books that I want to read that I feel anxiety creep in if I look at the number of books in my piles. Right now, my Good Reads To-Read Shelf includes 523 books. (Deep breaths...)
But slow and steady will win the reading race (Is it really a race?). So I just keep plugging along, relishing the words at my leisurely pace. But the key is that I am always reading--whether it be a REAL book, one on my Kindle (I like to alternate between reading on my device for convenience and reading a physical book because I like the way it feels and smells) or occasionally listening to an audio book (I prefer reading rather than listening). The key is to just keep reading.
I am most proud of the fact that my husband and I are raising two readers. Our daughters LOVE reading, as if they have a choice, but I guess they do. I think the secret to instilling a love of reading in your own children is to be a reading role model, let them choose what they want to read, and keep it fun and easy--free of pressure. We have family reading time each night after dinner--a time when we turn off the TV and devices (unless we are reading on our devices) and have silent reading time. I love it, and so does my family.
The truth is that I can't imagine my life without books. I crave them. I savor them. I adore them. They bring me comfort, joy, hope, and a little understanding in this crazy, mixed-up world.
And this stresses me out. There are so many books that I want to read that I feel anxiety creep in if I look at the number of books in my piles. Right now, my Good Reads To-Read Shelf includes 523 books. (Deep breaths...)
But slow and steady will win the reading race (Is it really a race?). So I just keep plugging along, relishing the words at my leisurely pace. But the key is that I am always reading--whether it be a REAL book, one on my Kindle (I like to alternate between reading on my device for convenience and reading a physical book because I like the way it feels and smells) or occasionally listening to an audio book (I prefer reading rather than listening). The key is to just keep reading.
I am most proud of the fact that my husband and I are raising two readers. Our daughters LOVE reading, as if they have a choice, but I guess they do. I think the secret to instilling a love of reading in your own children is to be a reading role model, let them choose what they want to read, and keep it fun and easy--free of pressure. We have family reading time each night after dinner--a time when we turn off the TV and devices (unless we are reading on our devices) and have silent reading time. I love it, and so does my family.
The truth is that I can't imagine my life without books. I crave them. I savor them. I adore them. They bring me comfort, joy, hope, and a little understanding in this crazy, mixed-up world.
I love that you read as a family. I wish more families would turn off electronics and read!
ReplyDeleteThat was my comment, Amianne! Kyra
DeleteI absolutely love the idea of reading as a family! I'm starting Mason out early! Once he's old enough, he'll have his own library! I mean...the kid already has a ton of picture books that I've collected over the past few years. Luckily...I have some "boy books" for him to throw around before he starts learning to read!
ReplyDelete