For Zach it was One
Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and his Children’s Bible (particularly
Daniel and the Lion’s Den and Balaam’s Donkey).
Elizabeth’s favorites were Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever and Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter books.
Olivia never tired of A
House is a House for Me and Mother
Goose Rhymes—especially “Pussycat, Pussycat…” because I always exchanged the
word ‘pussycat’ for Olivia.
Reading Hattie and the
Fox was a multiple-times-a-day event for Emma, along with any and all of
the Berenstein Bears books.
The repetition of reading the same books over and over and
over and over and (take a deep breath) over again was not always my favorite
thing to do, but I did it because it made them happy and I wanted my kids to be
happy. But more than that, the repetition of hearing their favorite stories
multiple times a day gave them a sense of security and belonging.
That’s what repetition does, you know. It gives children a
sense of belonging and assurance that things are just as they should be. And
that is why, as a parent, you need to make sure you consistently and
repeatedly:
Tell your children
you love them-- every single day.
Make sure your
actions are affirmations of what you say –kids are smart. They know the
difference between empty words and words giving voice to acts of love.
Keep the promises you
make – if you can’t keep them don’t make them.
Pick them up on time
–be where you say you will be when you say you will be there. Children are frightened
and humiliated when you are late or miss something altogether.
Practice what you
preach –Again, kids are better at spotting a phony than they are at
addition or subtraction. They need to see you consistently and repeatedly being
the person you tell them to be.
I’ve not been a perfect parent, but I’ve been consistent and
repetitive in loving, protecting, nurturing, teaching and caring for my
children. I hope and pray you will do the same.
Love,
Momma D
PS I can still quote
most of these books by heart and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
