To use a cliche (something I try not to do but unavoidable here), I can’t help but feel like a broken record on this issue. I am always amazed by how my children mimic my reading behaviors. Sometimes in really subtle ways and then in just, ‘shout it out-I am copying you’ sorts of ways. It reminds me again and again that in order to raise readers, we must, ourselves be readers. 

Just the other day, Rob asked me, with all the work I’m doing lately, if it’s wise to spend time, “reading for myself.” In case you couldn’t hear me screaming from where you are, it is totally and completely wise. Our girls are readers because we are readers.

I could get into the whole nature-nurture thing here and there is a place for it. There are certainly children of readers who are not readers themselves. This happens for a myriad of reasons including but not limited to learning disabilities. But there are not many readers out there with parents who are not readers. It just doesn’t go that way.

To throw in a few more cliches, children do do what you do, not what you say so practice what you preach and take your own medicine.

The photo above is ‘picture proof’ of all these cliches. Over the weekend, I was jotting down notes from the New York Times of titles  I would like to add to my tottering piles of “to be read books”. A bit later, I noticed that Caroline had started a similar list.

Monkey do…