One of the best parts of working in the RORKC office is hearing feedback and success stories from all of our partner clinics. A few years ago, Reach Out and Read Kansas City board member and pediatrician at Children’s Mercy West, Dr. Lisa Riojas shared this experience she had during a well-child visit:
“One of my most special Reach Out and Read memories is of a 6-month-old who came in with his family. He was sitting on his mother’s lap. They were Spanish speaking so we had an interpreter but that’s the great thing about books, you can see what kids are thinking/feeling when they are looking at books. So, I hand him the book. Usually, babies at that age start to chew on the book while holding it upside down and backward, but this little guy took it from me with both hands, held it in the correct position, and opened it all by himself. He then started to flip the pages and you could see eyes scanning the pages as if he’s reading this little book.
The mom then looked at me and at him, when she starts to show him the book, he just lights up and gets all excited, and you can tell that he is super happy. It was very obvious that he had been read to over and over again by his family”
Rene is now a healthy 2-year- old that still loves to read. Recently, we met with his mother, Erika, to talk about why she loves reading with Rene and her 6-year-old daughter, Alondra.
How often do you read aloud?
“We read together every day because both of my children enjoy it. They like hearing the stories, they get emotional when they see the images and like to express themselves and react to the stories.”
Why does Rene like going to the doctor?
“When he gets the books in the doctor’s office, he is excited because it is a new book for us to read together. You can see it on his face, he has a huge smile”
What are some of Rene’s & Alondra’s favorite books?
“Rene loves to read books about animals. His favorite currently is one about a horse that saves his brothers and sisters. We read it daily. His sister, Alondra, loves reading Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Snow White. She is now learning to read and write, so I still read aloud to her every day too.”