The gift of readying

[nadinbrzezinski]

well this year I did buy a Christmas gift. I'm home with my parents and the two ladies that live here, always exchange gifts for my parents, and likewise for my parents. Well I bought Letty's son his first book. He is eighteen months old, and he LOVED his book, you know the type. Cloth type, with a single print and a word. That boy is very bright. And he almost made me cry as he asked me several times to read this book to him.

I know that when I come to visit next time I will have to find ANOTHER book for a little boy... to encourage that mind of his.

I also give my nephews books... I believe in encouraging this activity and kids start early.

[Oregone]

1. Books?

Wouldn't guns better prepare them to honorably serve the idiocracy? Or at least a book on how to run a collection agency

[Goldstein1984]

2. Books

are one of the ways I interact with my granddaughter, Schylar, and my grandson, Tristan. Three and four years old, they love to listen as I read to them. Sometimes I just read my own books, which I'm sure they barely understand, but they listen. I've told them that books are, as Carl Sagan said, "The persistence of memory."

This year, every gift under the tree--and there are far fewer than in past years--is a learning gift--books, art supplies, an abacus, puzzles, building sets.

One of the advantages of being a grandparent is that you have a second chance to influence children, having learned from your mistakes the first time through. I've learned not to miss the precious moments that I missed with my own children. We read a lot more books together, this time around. And we read a lot the first time.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I just love them

and in this case it is giving much more than just a book.

I no longer read to my nephews, as they are that much more interested in the stoopid box... but I try.