Friday, February 15, 2008
Reading "Fancy Nancy"
A few nights ago, I babysat for a family and put the kids to bed. One of the little girls who is three years old was very excited for me to read her new story called Fancy Nancy before she went to bed. As I read her the story, I was fascinated at how intently she looked at each and every picture making comments and relating to Nancy. When we were finished I had to laugh because the picture book just fit her personality so perfectly. When her parents came home, I commented on how adorable the storybook was. Her mom said that they went to the bookstore when they were on vacation and she picked it out all by herself. She told me how she was so excited to go to the bookstore and how much she loves the book. I find it so refreshing that even today when there are so many video games, computer games, television shows, and so much more, that children still find so much excitement in getting a new book. I also found it interesting that she was thrilled to go and spend time at the bookstore while she was on vacation. The most interesting thing out of this experience was how the book so fit her personality. It is so cool that there are so many stories out there that kids can find that match their unique personalities so closely.
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2 comments:
I too, babysit a lot. The family that I take care of has two twin girls and a boy. They have every video game system imaginable however; when it comes time for bed they love their books! They don't always agree on what book to read but they do agree on reading! I have watched them since they are three years old so back then I was reading to them. They are now in the 5th grade and instead of me reading to them, they want to read to me. It is a very cool experience that I look forward to! I think that even though there are a lot of alternatives to reading now-a-days, the presence of literature is still in children's lives. I believe reading for pleasure is essential for kids. Instead of reading books that they have to read for school, like we do in college, they are able to pick the genre that interests them the most and are able to enjoy reading a lot more. Connecting reading with children’s interests only enhances the whole experience. This idea will hopefully make reading a positive thing for children which will establish positive association to reading for the rest of their lives. It is good to know, being a future teacher, that the value of a book is still needed and appreciated in a child's life.
I remember when I used to babysit a lot that reading to the kids before bed was one of the best parts. I enjoyed the stories as much as they did, and it's good to know that they still love books, since it has been some time since I last babysat. I think it is a good point also that you let them read to you... I used to read to any one that would listen when I was little, even my cat :)
It makes me really sad to see kids like my boyfriend's little cousins who live in a world of video games and the computer. I remember being so mad at my mom when I was little because I wasn't allowed to have a TV or anything like that in my room because she didn't want me to just veg out all day long. Now I'm glad she was so strict about it because I think I had such a better childhood experience by using my imagination and reading, drawing, or whatever!
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