READ TO YOUR CHILDREN: Queen Book Buff Gets Hard Core

Dear World,

We are going to have a come to Jesus talk. This will be less than kind, but I don’t know any other way to say it, “STOP SCREWING AROUND AND READ TO YOUR KIDS.” You have heard it before, and you will hear it again READING IS IMPORTANT. It is actually freaking vital to life. You need to  be able to read. This book buff has gone back to work in a school. I am a teacher.  I have the education, I have the experience and I know what I am talking about, so when I say READ TO YOUR KIDS, I am not preaching the party line. I see a depressing amount of children who struggle with reading, don’t have any idea what to do in a library, don’t want to read, and just plain have ZERO interest. We do everything we can to foster, get them excited, and to develop reading skills in the classroom and library. The problem is if the book that gets sent home stays in the book bag and you don’t ask questions, the buck stops with you.   Reading is the most important skill your child will ever learn. Starting in kindergarten and through the second grade your child will be learning to read, and then in the third grade they will be expected to read to learn. Do you understand what that means? That means reading and comprehending material to gain knowledge. It means understanding and be able to read directions in all subjects. Remember those pesky story problems from when you were a kid? Well they are not one or 2 problems at the bottom of the page, now they are a basic part of math curriculum. They need to be able to read to do math.  Non Fiction text books are not written for low readers. They will need to read to understand facts and apply them to their lessons. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ. Sure, I know people go through their whole lives completely illiterate.  Awesome, they spent their lives struggling, they spent their lives trying to find ways to function in a world that is filled with words. Do you really want your kid to struggle? Do you really want your child to possibly not seek higher education and advantages, because they can’t read or it is a huge frustration for them?    Oh, Queen Book Buff you say “My child hates to read!” “What am I suppose to do?”  “I am not a teacher” you gasp with frustration and eye rolling.

Well I am glad you asked

1. Read to them, with them, and even at them if you have to.

2. Call your kid’s teacher and ask what you can do to help support their reading skills and growth.

3. Do the research!  What are their interests? See if you can find books on topics they like.  You live with the kid, you should know what they like.

4. GO TO THE LIBRARY ask your local librarian what books are out there. This person has a MASTER DEGREE IN LIBRARY SCIENCE! They are highly qualified to help you and your child find books. Most libraries have great programs that get kids excited to be in the library. Trust them! While they may look strange, I promise the library is on your side. The best part of all is IT IS FREE! Yep, you pay nothing and they give you stuff!

5. Don’t be a book snob. If your kid wants to read Batman comic books to you, then let him or her. The key word in Comic book is book. Whatever they want to read that sparks interest, let that be your gateway. I told a parent once, if your child wants to read a book on how to reach every level on Super Mario Brothers then let him. We will work our way up to Harry Potter.

6. Don’t give them a reading game on a DAMN electronic device. Try really hard to  foster the love of reading and develop the skills without using  something that TAKES you out of the equation.  (This is my personal feeling)

7. You need to read. Our children learn by example. They follow what they see. You read and show a love for it, then they will follow that. I don’t care what you read, just do it. You want to read the latest baseball stats, that is just fine. Just read them in front of your kid.

8. MAKE TIME! Turn off your show and read a book with your kid. Just do it. Read for the skills your child is growing and Read for the memories and relationship you are building.

Please know that I get and understand all the socioeconomic circumstances that starts a child off with little to no exposure to reading and basic skills. I understand all about families that are stuck in the poverty cycle, and that survival is more important than books. I have worked in low income schools and volunteered in centers that most people will not even venture into. I understand demographics and all the things that our kids have to overcome. I am begging that even if these are your circumstances, look at the books your kid brings home. Do what you can, and tell the school what you can and can’t handle, but please don’t ignore the importance of your child reading.

When your kiddo comes home with a card with three stars on it, and says “I have to read my easy reader  three time, can I read with you?” If you say no, or you brush it off, you are telling your kid that reading is not important.  We are doing everything we can to help your kids learn, we can’t do it all by ourselves. We can give star cards, punch cards, and do all sorts of things to get kiddos to read, but if you do nothing we are fighting a battle knowing the cavalry is never coming.  READ TO YOUR KIDS!

Well the preaching is over, until the next time….

Queen Book Buff

Truths According to Seuss

Dear Dr. Seuss,

Your words and books taught us all what was true.

You gave us the simple wisdom to live brightly and nicely

As children your truths were clear and dear and we had nothing to fear

Your rules we knew and we grew

Somewhere along the way we forgot what you taught so long ago

We forgot to be true and faithful 100 percent

So today my old friend who taught me so much, I blog in hopes that your words full of wisdom and grace will rekindle all the things we knew when we were tiny little Whos

So below please find the truth according to Seuss…………

Lesson: Treat all creatures great and small with love, respect and dignity.  

“A person is a person no matter how small”- Horton Hears a Who

 

“And the turtles, of course…All the turtles are free  As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.” Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories

I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.”  Yertle the Turtle and other Stories

  

Lesson: When you make a promise keep it. When you give your word, mean it and stick by it.

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant….An elephant’s faithful One hundred percent”  Horton Hatches the Egg

Lesson: Stand Up for what is right and good

“UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” The Lorax

 I can’t begin to write down all the instructions you gave us, so here are just a few more…….

You taught us to love ourselves for who we are and not to be jealous (Gertrude McFuzz)

You taught us we can’t label people and separate them (The Sneetches)

You taught us that Cats in Hats who travel with odd little partners might not be best let in our house when mother is gone.

You taught us to look for the extraordinary when walking down our streets ( And To Think I saw it on Mulberry Street)

This is just a small sample of all the great tales you gave the world. In the end you taught us justice and mercy. You taught us to be kind and love each other no matter how small we might be. You taught us all creatures deserve to be free and treated equally. You taught us to be fair and judgment free.

This blog is my hope that we can all reach back to when we were small, and learned some of the most important lessons of all….

Queen Book Buff