I Had a Mother Who Read To Me

I love reading to my children, but the last several months I've taken it up a notch or two. In addition to reading dozens of picture books per week, I read a devotion during breakfast and a couple of chapters from our latest chapter book of choice. Then during lunch we read several more chapters from our chapter book. Both kids have really enjoyed this, Ryan especially. His vocabulary has been growing too, and it's so neat to hear him using some rather large words. He was talking to himself while we were waiting for the streetcar last month, and he said, "She doesn't know her competition!" Everyone waiting, including me (oops) starting laughing, and it hurt Ryan's feelings. I tried to tell him we weren't laughing at him and that it just surprised us to hear him say that word, but he didn't seem to buy it.

I highly recommend the book The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. It was very useful in inspiring me to read even more to my kids. Along those lines, I ran across a poem that I want to share.


The Reading Mother

I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.

I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings —
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be —
I had a Mother who read to me.

- Strickland Gillilan