Lynette Chappell-Williams is Cornell University’s director for the Office of Workforce Diversity, Equity & Life Quality.
As a child growing up in the south, reading books was a favorite activity. One of the favorite “reading spots” was in the car, as we drove hours to visit family. I recall my brothers and I would sit in the back seat of the car with a stack of books, reading to pass the time away. It was great fun for us and, in hindsight, an asset for our parents since reading kept the three of us quiet during the course of the trip.
The joy of reading later served me well through college and law school, not only in getting me through the reading requirements for classes, but to also serve as a “mini-vacation”—there was nothing more relaxing than curling up with a good book to unwind after a day of criminal, tax, and constitutional law!
It is no wonder that reading is an important activity for my child. I admit--I am one of those mothers who read to my child while she was still in the womb. In fact, I signed Paris up for memberships with the Dr. Seuss Bright and Early book series, the Dr. Seuss “I Can Read” series, and the Disney book club once I knew I was pregnant. Each month, new books would arrive in the mail and I added them to my future child’s collection. I’ll never forget a sales call from the company that sold the memberships. I had been receiving the books for about three months. The sales representative asked which books Paris enjoyed reading the most. I recall responding: none of them- she isn’t born yet. I remember a long pause before the representative composed himself enough to advise me that he would check back at a later time, as he wanted to let me know about a new program they had with books in CD format. I would have given anything to see his expression after he hung up the phone!
After my daughter was born, I continued the ritual of reading to her every day. When she was an infant, reading books to her was an opportunity for her to hear my voice on a regular basis. As a toddler, reading was a way to stimulate her interests and expose her to her new world. I will never forget going to the Borders Book Store in the Washington, DC area for a Saturday morning reading program. A Borders employee, dressed as a mouse, came out to read “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Paris’ mouth dropped open. “Mommy, mouses read too!” Paris skipped the cookies that the store had so graciously provided after the book reading-she was too busy insisting that the mouse read to her again.
Now, as she enters school, reading is a way for the two of us to make sure that we connect at the end of each day. One of her greatest joys is being able to select the book that we will read together. Whether it’s one of her four favorites, like Laura Numeroff’s “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” Patrick Kleinen’s “If I Were a Moose,” Berenstain’s “Bears on Wheels,” or Lucy Cousin’s “At Home with Maisy,” or a new book, she literally screams and goes running for a book, or should I say, books, to read before bed time. We usually engage in a negotiation process, where she bargains for the number of books to be read that night in exchange for good deeds: “if we read two books, I promise to get dressed fast tomorrow.” Or, the famous one: “if we read five books, I promise to clean my room and keep it clean for seventeen weeks.” Of course, that promise is never fulfilled.
It was important to me to instill the power of reading in my daughter. So far, it has worked. If given the choice, Paris will opt for a new book over a new toy. At the tender age of six, she enjoys “pretend reading” her books to her “baby brother”, better known as the family dog, and to her “kids”—her dolls and stuffed animals. She calls this her “quality time” with them.
I am delighted that she sees reading books as quality time, and I am delighted that she enjoys reading books. I think her love of reading will contribute to her success in school. Her love of reading will also get us through the long car rides to visit family. My prayer is that reading together will contribute to the success of our relationship. Things are changing a little though, as she is now learning to read by herself. There have been nights that, as I have read to her, she has read the words that she knows, from our favorite books. This summer, after going through our Hooked on Phonics program, Paris advised me that she’s learning to read so that she can read to me when I’m too old to do so myself. I will make sure to hold her to that promise.
Family Reading Partnership
Ithaca, New York
Phone: 607-277-8602
Email: office@familyreading.org
