Let's read

So I have been inspired by a few posts about reading from fellow bloggers to write my own. There is nothing like stealing an idea when you have lost inspiration for ideas of things to write about yourself. I will give them credit though and urge that if you do happen to read this, please read theirs as well.........

Counys in France

Diary of the Dad

So as it happens my son is only 4 months old but well I have been reading to him from in the womb. We started with the Gruffalo, The Hungry Caterpillar and We're going on a bear hunt. 

I would take a long hot bath and read him a story and he was also made to listen to music as well as (yes there was lots of Mozart) I religiously wore my music belt. Honestly it was all about bonding with my baby from the start and not about creating a child genius.

Now at 4 months we are still going and the book collection is already steadily increasing. Obviously he does not have any clear favourites as yet but he does not cry when I read to him and looks rather intently at me so I am going to say that he enjoys it. I love taking him to a local book bug session in Glasgow as well and he is alert and smiling through it all. It was a hot topic recently on the parenting/baby forum I follow as a mum asked her friend who is a primary school teacher to recommend some books and her response was that her baby was too young for books and she did not think her baby was that intelligent. Of course all the comments which followed questioned this woman's role as a teacher as many mums read to their babies. Ooops and here was hubby reading The history of Music to our son from birth! It is generally agreed though that reading to your baby from young helps with literacy skills and language development, with listening skills, stimulates the imagination and the senses and maybe most importantly promotes bonding and calmness for both parent and baby.

I love books and I want my son to love books....and yes maybe I am secretly hoping that I am creating a child genius. Here are some top mummy favourites (I hope I can write about this again listing my son's top favourites):

1. Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
2. Ten little fingers and Ten little toes by Mem Fox
3. The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
4. A bit lost by Chris Haughton
5. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
6. I like it when by Mary Murphy