Let's read!

I love friends, and I especially love when they share something great. A fab friend of mine recently shared with me Wondertime, a Disney Family magazine and website. Wondertime celebrates a child's love for learning, and that is right up my alley!

Although I haven't checked out the magazine, I recently spent some time browsing the website. Creative Parenting is one of the site's many categories. I love this topic because I believe that effective parenting is creative parenting. Kids are ever-evolving creatures, and in order to keep up with them, we have to be experimental, innovative and resourceful.

Although my son is only 5 months old, I read this Creative Parenting article with excitement, 5 big ways to help kids love books. My undergraduate degree is in English, and reading is my favorite hobby. I don't imagine that I'll ever push a sport or career onto any of my children, but I fear that I am going to force books down my kids throats to the point that they are burning them by the time they flee the nest. I just want my children to love books (and magazines and blogs and reading, reading, reading) as much as I do. So this creative parenting tip excited me to no end.

My two favorite tips are numbers 3 & 4: Write a book of your own & Find out what else the library offers. 

One of my fondest childhood memories is of the publishing center at my elementary school. My school converted an oversized closet into a mini-publishing workshop. It included all the materials necessary for covering and binding a homemade book. I remember feeling so confident as I left the publishing center with my newly bound book in tow. And when I think back, "publishing" my book was so simple and easy. What a great way to encourage a child's creative spirit and self-confidence.

The public library is another one of my favorite childhood memories. Today when I walk into our local library, the smell alone takes me to a place of storytime daydreams. How splendid! I decided to check out the offerings of our local library, and I was pleasantly surprised. Once a week they offer Baby Laptime for babies and their guardians. It's simply a 20-30 minute session of singing songs and discovering age-appropriate books, and it is completely free. I'll attend the first session next week, and I couldn't be more enthusiastic about exposing my little man to the library at such a young age. Not to mention, the library is one of the most fantastic places on and for the earth - it is recycling and education at its finest - I'm in heaven!

Many hugs to my dear friend who shared this wonderful magazine and website with me. I hope you all find it as delightful as I do.