Goosie read her first book today — all by herself.
It wasn’t War and Peace or anything. Indeed, it was called, Pig Wig, and the most exciting happening was that a cat sat on a hat. But still, she read it on her own.
And to a four year old, that is a very, very big deal. And to her parents, it is just as much of a big deal.
Today will be etched into my memory forever.
The look in her eyes as she realized she had sounded out a real word…
The pride as she learned that she could make sense out of the letters…
The giggles that she couldn’t suppress as she turned the last of the pages…
I’ve been a mom for seven years now, and I can say that honestly there is nothing like that first time a child reads something. A whole world opens. They begin the journey into the literate. New realms become available. The might be on the extreme early end of the reading spectrum, but they are on it.
And they realize it.
My Goosie, in pure Goose fashion, kept looking at me and curling up her whole little body. At one point she grabbed my arm and almost bit it because Goosies don’t always know what to do with extreme excitement.
I’m not big on teaching little kids to read before their time. I’ve read all the studies. I know that regardless of when a child learns to read, they are usually close to the same level by the time they are in third grade. I know that their time is much better spent being read to than being tutored to read.
But when my kids start trying to sound out words on their own, I just make sure to give them the opportunity.
And that’s where we are blessed. We have a ridiculous amount of children’s reading material in our house. We have every level as my kids have been read to since the day they were born.
But the sad fact is that these reading materials are a blessing. They are not a given… not even in the suburbs of the United States.
Like any bleeding heart liberal worth the label, when I see the joy in my children’s eyes, I can’t help but think of those not too far away who can’t experience the same. The children who want to read but don’t have any materials. And the parents who want to provide materials for their children but don’t have the means.
Because of this, I have decided to team up with First Book for a Virtual Book Drive. The goal is simple and humble – raise $200 by August 18, 2015 for First Book. First Book is an organization with a mission to get books into the hands of kids who need them most. You might be familiar with them as they are the ones who provide the books that Cheerios occasionally give away in their cereal boxes.
If you have a chance, and you feel so moved, please consider making a contribution. Even $5 could help us get on our way to $200.
In honor of the first book Goosie read “all by myself” I am setting up this drive. Let’s try to help some kids in need!