On Being A Bookworm: I Got Asked A Question After 17 Years

Do I really have to do this mommy?!

_{My eldest, way back 2009.}

Making reading a habit. My Lil sis had to do it.

I cannot even begin to say how important reading is. My sister @erangvee has asked today, after 17 years why I had brought her those books when she was just 5 years old.

To be honest, I had no idea where my sister was getting me to. Did she just want me to learn reading early? Did she simply want me to become a bookworm like her (I remember her bedroom then; she always had a thick book beside her pillow)?

I love to read. I am happy to have at least influenced my sister to that habit and boy, look at her now! Follow her writings here on steemit and be amazed. She even had her fanfiction.net account where she authored lots of fanfictions (mostly on animes, so I cannot relate. LOL)

Road to raising book lovers.

My son, after a lot of persuasion at first, now shows great passion to reading. It took me some time but I eventually found out he had lazy eye. Thankfully it is not too late and we consulted an ophthalmologist before any permanent damaged can be made. I blame his lack of interest in reading before to not having a clear eye sight.

Now 8, he loves to discover new things and satiate his curiosity through reading. The two smaller ones, 3.5 and 2 years are already starting to read too. They know the alphabet and phonics, and we are starting with sight words with my middle child.

Books all around!

I have read somewhere before about a father who raised a bookworm kid by surrounding him with books. Thereby, the child did not have any "choice" but to open the books around him, then eventually develop his love for reading too.

Well I do the same to my children. I place books within their reach, so that we can always get inspired to read. It is on the shelf of our bunk bed. Each time we cuddle, we can just easily grab a book of varied topics and read away. For my little master, it does not even have to be "reading". Sometimes, we just cuddle and look at the pictures. There we learn colors, names of things and animals, flags, etc.

Kuya has his "big boy" books on his bedside too. Other books are kept in his bag which he takes to their nanny's house everyday, while the there are lots of other children's books on the shelf of our computer table.

Best in Reading

I remember when I graduated Kindergarten. I had the "Best in Reading" award. I give lots of credits to my mom @lerma, for being patient with me. She made me read newspapers - just anything. Maybe the headlines, or just short paragraphs.

She bought me comics series also. By comics, I do not refer to Archie Comics but to a Filipino Kiddie comics called "Bata Batuta Komiks".

How can I even forget those times when we rent komiks from the nearby convenience store for Php 0.25 per comicbook! I am sure a lot of other 80's kids can relate to this. Haha.

DEAR Time

Oh! How I loved DEAR time in school! We get to read our favorite books. Shhhh.... quiet! I am reading.

After 17 years, my answer is...

Reading is a part of life. It makes life interesting. It takes you to places that you can only imagine. Reading is integral to learning. It gives way to curiosity. It widens your vocabulary. It empowers you.

I can go on and on...

Had my mom not influenced me, had I not given my baby sister those books to read... then you may not be reading from us right now.

So sister dear, aren't you just glad I made you read "Arabian Nights" books series when you were 5 years old?! haha

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