"Make Resolution To Read Aloud"
 
With the New Year less than a week away, many of us will resolve to remake ourselves in the coming 365 days. Some will vow to lose10, 20, maybe even 30 pounds; some will pledge to spend less and save more; and still others will promise themselves to work at being friendlier and nicer individuals. But in a year’s time, as we reflect on our accomplishments, we may learn that the weight wasn’t lost; the pledge of economizing went up in smoke when the washer and dryer needed to be replaced; and, although we tried to be nicer to certain people, they weren’t necessarily nice in return.

For parents of young children, I have a resolution that is both easily accomplished and fun to work at: Resolve to dedicate 15 to 20 minutes a day reading aloud to your children, no matter what their ages.

Reading aloud is vital to a child’s intellectual development. Listening to stories read by an adult expands a child’s vocabulary because he/she is introduced to words not spoken around the home. Listening to written stories also helps children understand correct sentence structure, proper word usage, and effective grammar. If that isn’t enough, reading aloud is also a great way for parents to bond with their children. With both mom and dad working, it is especially important for parents to spend quality time with their children. Reading is a wonderful way of doing that. I read to my three-month-old son every day and although he may not understand a word I say, he is happy just having time with dad. Believe me, dad enjoys this quality time as well.

To help you succeed in this resolution let me suggest three titles. The first is “A Giraffe And A Half” by Shel Silverstein. This is a wonderful tale about a boy and a giraffe and the comical situations the giraffe encounters like being stung on the knee by a bumbley old bee or having a rose glued to the tip of his nose. What children enjoy most about this book is that every time something new happens, the reader has to reread everything that occurred prior to the last incident. So the reader rereads the text extra fast. This repetition is both exciting and fun for both the listener and the reader!

Another great read-aloud book is “The Monster At The End Of This Book” by Jon Stone. This Sesame Street classic is about loveable furry old Grover and his fear of finishing a book because of the monster at the end. The fun part about this book is that every time the reader turns the page, Grover has done some silly thing to stop the reader from turning to the next page. He glues the pages together; he ties them down; he even builds a brick wall. He does anything he can to stop the reader and listener from moving forward in the story and discovering the monster at the end. Everyone, even Grover, is surprised to find out who the monster at the end of the book really is!

My most favorite read-aloud title is “Because I Love You” by Max Lucado. This well-written book is also beautifully illustrated by Mitchell Heinze. “Because I Love You” is about a man named Shaddai and the love he has for children. Shaddai loves them so much that he builds a wall to keep them safe from the dangerous forest just outside their village. After he builds the wall, Shaddai warns the children not to pass from the safety of the wall. However, curiosity gets the best of a small boy named Paladin, who finds a hole in the wall! The events that follow are great examples of the love shared between a parent and a child. This book may be an easy read, but the message found between the lines is very moving.

While I can’t overemphasize the importance of reading aloud to your children, visits to the Library is also an important educational experience for them. The Columbus Public Library offers two story times a week--on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Each session includes a half-hour story time and an hour of craft and/or learning activity time for both the parents and children. If there are any questions regarding the story times or any other children’s program offered by the Columbus Public Library, please contact me at 564-7116 ext. 4. And remember, keep your children reading!