Little Books, Big Rewards

I have spent years developing a simple habit that has paid dividends on top of compound interest. This is not in financial terms but in growth in my relationships with my kids. The ways in which this simple process pays off is surprising at times. I’ll outline the steps here.

The first step takes place at the library. I pick out some little books. Now, the books I’m referring to are actually quite physically large due to the illustrations but small in word count. I have found that good ones to start out with have few pages. Eric Carle's books are a classic example. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is well known, but he has written many others (about seventy).

I set the little one loose to pick a few out. They are very excited about this, and the act is empowering. It’s like being set loose in a store with a credit card and no limits. I grab a few on my own that fit the above description just in case my kid comes back with the type that looks pretty but is not fun to read. When at a loss, I ask the librarian. They are quite helpful.

In the next step, I leave the books scattered in plain sight around my home.  On the counter, coffee table, and other flat surfaces. Why not the bookshelf? It has to do with how young children think and see the world. A book stacked neatly on the bookshelf shows only the spine of the book. If it is the type of book with big pictures and little print, the spine will be very thin. It is now out of sight and out of mind. A three-year-old does not have a to-do list or make many plans. She just walks around inspired by what she interacts with and sees. When inspired, she will want to act on that feeling in that moment. Keep this in mind to be prepared for the next step.

Some parents believe that there is no reason to go to the library. They may have a collection of purchased books at home that go untouched. Books being neatly put away is one reason for this. Perceived pressure can be another. Leaving books around sets up a scenario in which a child feels they are having the idea themselves. It does also set up a scenario that may involve a lot of late fees, so some books do go on a designated library book shelf.

Now comes the challenge—the final step. It comes at the point when I have just finished a project. Maybe I’ve just done the dishes and wiped down the kitchen. It’s on to the next thing that needs to be done, but I decide to take just five minutes to sit by myself first. A moment before my leg muscles actually complete the task of lowering myself into the chair, my little one crawls into my lap with one of the books, exclaiming, “Read me—read me!”

Yes, I deserve a break. Yes, the timing is comically bad from my perspective. From my child’s perspective, she may be reading the social situation perfectly. I wasn’t doing anything at that exact moment, after all.

I read the book. And I read it with my whole heart. I read it imagining that I am being paid top dollar to record the audiobook. I discuss the pictures. I do it with a good attitude because one day, she will be eleven, then twelve, then a teenager. Kids tend not to crawl in your lap with a book at those ages. In fact, if a love for reading has not been established by that time, it may be very difficult to do so. I attempt to nurture that desire while it is present. Because what I’m actually doing is deepening the relationship. Not just with a book, but between us. In addition to creating a habit of reading, I’m establishing security and closeness and doing something together that sparks questions, discussions, and memories. This is what pays dividends and compound interest.

I try to embrace the opportunity to cultivate these things. I have become grateful for the request, even if ill-timed because it is fleeting. The answer to “read me—read me” is always an enthusiastic yes.

Besides, in all honesty, the “five minutes” alone would likely have been spent depleting my energy further playing on my phone rather than gaining fulfillment with my child.