We are now a full year into the pandemic and with vaccines becoming increasingly available, there is definitely a light in the proverbial tunnel!
When I orient new residents in pediatrics and family medicine, my focus is on the importance of the gift of the book to their patients’ healthy development. We know that book reading/book sharing leads to robust language development. We know propping a book on the floor helps a baby begin to enjoy tummy time, and we know that book sharing enhances the child/caregiver relationship. I think I sometimes forget to speak to the special memories that are made during those book-sharing times!
My sons are now 40 and 35-years-old, and yet I still remember very specific stories that we shared. I can see Christopher in Kenn’s lap listening to “Mr. Brown Can Moo” and Kenn’s reading of the thunder and lightning page was SO dramatic, that he had to then skip that page for a while because 15-month-old Christopher was a bit scared of those loud sounds! Pretty soon, Christopher would imitate those sounds during the reading. Both kids loved “Little Bunny Follows His Nose“.
I have two copies of that book in the “too special to give away box” because the scratch and sniff patches were worn out with the many readings. Now, Kenn and I enjoy reading to our grandkids, currently by Zoom, continuing to make those special memories!
Thanks to you, our donors, health providers across the Kansas City metro have the opportunity to help families make special memories, thanks to the gift of a book and the advice on book-sharing. We know that book reading and book sharing leads to robust language development. We can’t do this without you!
-Sallie Page-Goertz, MN, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC