Thanks, Mom: ALU Staffers Share How Moms Got Us Reading

It probably goes without saying that we’re all readers here at All Lit Up – but how did we get this way? This Mother’s Day, we’re saluting our moms, and with their help, reminiscing how they got us to be the book-loving nerds who bring you book news week after week (featuring adorable and embarrassing kid photos). Commonalities include reading together, helping us learn, and many, many trips to the library.* * *Julia’s mom:My favourite time of day was just after Julia’s nap in the afternoon, and we would sit on the floor and play with alphabet blocks. I would show her the letter and sound it out, and sometimes ask her to find a certain one. Julia was just 2 years old, but she was able to hand me the block, and actually say the letter! I believe this gave her a big advantage when it came to reading. She was a competent reader at about age 5, and think sounding out those letters helped her figure out words on her own. The next challenge was to find books to keep her interest. Libraries are still favourite places to visit.

 Christen:My mom says before I was born, she talked to me to share the sound of language. As an infant, she read me favourites like Goodnight Moon. When a toddler, we made trips to an indie bookstore and the local library for story time. During elementary school, reading and creative writing were encouraged pastimes. I definitely inherited my mom’s appreciation for poetry. 

Barb’s mom:Many years ago a tiny person is sitting on my lap, and she is listening to me read to her. The book is by Germaine Greer. Amazingly, this little girl seems so interested – her attention never waivers. I understand she loves the idea of reading, and I encourage her. Eventually she learns to read on her own, at three. Her favourite book is Ann Likes Red. We progress to Richard Scarry and Beatrix Potter. Reading becomes such a pleasure; I feel it is the best present I have ever given her.

 Mandy:Books were always present in my house while I was growing up, and some of my earliest memories involve my mom (and dad. Hi, dad) reading to me before bed, or packing books into bags anytime we went on trips. On weekends, we’d often visit the library and have lazy Sundays reading, or my mom would make up entertaining stories in the car or on walks to the park. Her stories are probably what really sparked my love of reading. 

 Lauren’s mom:My daughter Lauren has been a reader since she was born. For the first 3 years, I read to her regularly. One day, she looked up at me and said, “Mommy, please tell me how reading works.” When I asked her why, she very seriously told me that, although she liked the way I read stories to her, she really wanted to read them by herself. So, I explained about letters making sounds and sounds making words, showed her a few examples and off she went, to begin to read “by herself.” Shortly after, Lauren started junior kindergarten and her teacher actually took a picture, because she said she was amazed that unlike the other kids, Lauren was reading a book!

* * *Thanks to our moms for sending photos and memories (not to mention the whole raising us thing). Feeling the warm and fuzzy mom vibes? Check out these reads.