We’ve tried to do everything we can to instill in them a love of reading. We surround the girls with books and we read to them every night. We’ve been doing it since they were old enough to be “put to bed.” Back then they were so small that they shared one crib. We’d tuck them in, sit on the floor and let them peer at the pictures through the slats as we read. At some point we began to read on alternate nights, one night on, one night off.
There are definitely nights when I don’t want to read — nights when I’ve brought home work projects (or magazine columns), or when I forget it’s my night and I’ve been imagining getting to watch the whole 8 pm re-broadcast of yesterday’s “The Daily Show.” Sometimes I’m just really tired. On those nights, I’m tempted to ask Deb to cover for me, but I usually go ahead and do it anyway.
The other night I was really tired, but I took them upstairs and settled in between the beds and began to read. Somewhere in the middle of “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish,” I realized Eva was kicking me (gently . . . sort of) in the shoulder because I had fallen asleep (I thought I was just pausing for effect — turns out I was dreaming that). Most nights, however, these session are the best part of my day. As we read, we talk about the pictures, they show me little details they notice or they ask me what something is. Now that they recognize letters, we talk about the words and letter sounds. It is a chance for me to learn about what is going on with them, marvel at how quickly they are changing and how much they know.
It’s a great feeling when we peek in on them and Anya is reading (OK, not actually reading, but accurately retelling, complete with page turns) a book to Eva, or when we are sitting at dinner and Eva makes a connection between our conversation and a book we read the other day. So on those nights when I look in on them and the space between their beds is filled with books or they are sprawled out on top of the last one they were reading, it gives me a thrill, because then I know we have done something that will be with them forever.
Brian Clark is the father of twin girls and is program manager for the STRONG Fathers Network, which supports men in their efforts to be skilled, active and strong parents. It is funded by York County Community Action Corp. and the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Brian’s views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of YCCAC.