I can't remember exactly when my love for books and reading began. All I can remember is that I grew up with all sorts of books around me. Having a grandma, aunts and a mother as teachers explains it so. I remember holding a copy of Nancy Drew and the Mystery of the Hidden Staircase when I was much younger but can't tell if I was able to really read it and understand it. I also joined a bible reading contest with my cousins. We wanted to know who can finish reading the bible from start to finish in the shortest time. All of us were unsuccessful. Our desire to read the book and finish it were over as soon as there was something new that grabbed our attention. But my formal book reading as I recall it started when I was in fifth grade. At that time almost all my friends had a copy of Sweet Valley Kids. I had to save money in order to buy my first copy. And from there, my love for books began. I enjoyed reading and I wanted that my future child/ren also take in the habit of reading books. Good thing my husband also wanted the same thing =D
Now that I have my own little boy, my husband and I agreed to instill in him early on the love for reading books. We want him to enjoy one of the world's greatest pleasures. We would buy him books once in a while. We would rather spend on books than with toys. We first caught him pretend reading when he was 1 year and 3 months. We were of course happy with it. Fast forward, after a few more months and more words in his vocabulary we caught him again trying to read from a magazine! Though we didn't understand much of the words that he said we still think that he is making big progress. That our investment in his books are not put to waste. Two weeks ago, I got him 34 pieces of books, all for 5 dollars, thanks to the book sale at the local library. They are not exaactly new but we still treasure them because everytime we open up the pages and read a new story each day to him, we know that his imagination and creativity is enhanced as well. I know that my son is getting there. We are not in a hurry. In a matter of 2 or 3 years I maybe spending more on books because he might be asking me so. But that is perfectly fine. I am not expecting my son to read thick books just yet. We just want him to enjoy each chance he gets to explore on a new adventure everytime he reads a new book. We want his affair with reading flourish slowly. For the mean time, we will enjoy the chance we get everytime we see him pretend to read. For as they say, pretend reading is real reading. =D
