Our Reading Journey

My father told me the story many times about him putting me to bed one night with my favorite story, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.  As I was the 4th child in as many years, he had probably had enough of this story.  He tried to skip a few pages (yes, skip a few pages in a picture book that is maybe 20 pages long!)  But I was too smart for him. I immediately knew what he was doing.  He had to start over from the beginning.

Fast forward about 30 years . . . I had always read to my children on a regular basis when they were babies.  It was something I enjoyed, and they did, too.  It was a quiet, peaceful end to the day.  Lying in bed or on the couch snuggling with my freshly bathed, sweet smelling children, reading them a story.  I usually read to each one individually, just to give them that little bit of one-on-one time after a hectic day. 

I knew, at some point, my children would grow out of the reading with Mommy phase and I was dreading that day.  When we moved to Connecticut my mother brought me an article from The New York Times A Father-Daughter Bond, Page by Page by Michael Winerip (https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/fashion/21GenB.html, Original pub date 03/18/2010).  The father, Jim Bronzina, began a 'Streak' of reading to his daughter every night. 

My children and I decided to try it for 100 days.  My son was in Kindergarten and my daughter in 3rd grade.  While it was not much of a change since we still read before bed, we did have to establish some rules.  Well, maybe not rules, but guidelines.  We absolutely had to read EVERY day.  It could be picture books, (especially on those Friday nights when I really couldn’t keep my eyes open to read aloud a full 10 pages of a chapter book), it didn’t always have to be at night, guest readers were allowed, and, except for vacations, each child would get their own reading time and book.

And, so, we began. . .

Thanksgiving Day 2018 we celebrated 2000 consecutive days of reading!  Pumpkin Pie was replaced by book cupcakes.  March 2, 2019 we celebrated Dr. Suess’ birthday and 2100 consecutive days of reading.  My daughter and I finished our reading journey in September, 2021 when she left for college at 3013 consecutive days of reading.  My son and I finished in August, 2024 when he left for college at 4098 consecutive days of reading.

I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of all of us for reaching this milestone.  The list of books is impressive.  We’ve read several Harry Potter, Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, all 14 Wizard of Oz books.  I bet both my children can recite all The Bear Books books (by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman).  I have been away a few times and my mother has been the ‘guest reader’.  Once I was hospitalized for a week; if my husband wasn’t home in time to read to the children, they read to each other.  It was that important to them to continue.  One of the greatest gifts to me was that I got to lie in bed, snuggle up with my children and read to them, even when I thought they had grown out if it.  

We have Jim Bronzina and his daughter, Kristen (now Alice Ozma), to thank for the inspiration.  And my mother, grandmother extraordinaire, for making us aware of this.  Alice Ozma also wrote a book about her reading experience with her father called The Reading Promise:  My Father and the Books we Shared.  Alice changed her name from Kristen to Alice Ozma. You’ll have to read ALL the Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum to find out why.  

Children love to be read to.  Take 5 or 10 extra minutes at bedtime and read with your children!

Happy Reading!