My Good Buddies Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak and Adarna Publishing
Aging pop icon Madonna once said that teachers should be paid more than entertainers, a sentiment I echo. I also feel, however, that the writers and illustrators of children's books should also be similarly compensated for their efforts, because truth be told a really good children's book, coupled with an enthusiastic, eloquent parent or guardian reading it can spur a child's imagination and drive to learn even before his or her schooling begins.
I, for one, started getting into reading to my children back in 2004 (back when I only had one kid, actually), when my son Apel turned two. I had made earlier attempts to read to him; when he was an infant he was essentially a captive audience, but when he got old enough to be ambulatory it was difficult to hold his attention. At two, however, he would happily sit through a stack of short storybooks with me. We went through a number of them, but the favorites were the Maurice Sendak classics Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. Marvelous stuff, and he loved them both, as well.
It was easy to read to him then as my principal preoccupation was reviewing for the bar exams. It became a little harder when I actually became a lawyer and started going to work. Although I would try to sneak in some reading now and again, it wasn't quite the same, and with the birth of my daugther Tala some months later, more time was spent changing diapers than reading.
Last year, with both Apel and Tala getting Dr. Seuss books for various occasions like birthdays and Christmas, I finally managed to get into it again, this time with two kids as my captive audience.
Out of a desire to have my kids learn Tagalog as early as possible, we also introduced them to books from the famed Adarna house of publishing. I feel I'm violating some kind of rule about parents not being bilingual while their kids' learning process is still in its embryonic stage, but both my kids, Tala especially, love the books, particularly the one about "the Ampalaya."
Apel is now five, Tala two and both of them absolutely love their bedtime stories, maybe even as much as I love reading them to them. While I read, Tala often snuggles under my arm and sits enrapt.
And like before, it doesn't even have to be bedtime for them to want to read. Quite often, Tala tells me she wants me to read "Ham" (Green Eggs and Ham) or "Zoo" (If I Ran the Zoo) or even "Ampaiya" (Alamat ng Ampalaya). And she more often than not sits through two readings.
Yes, if my kids do well at school (and Apel is already doing pretty well at his pre-school), I will credit these lovely pieces of literature for helping them along.
I, for one, started getting into reading to my children back in 2004 (back when I only had one kid, actually), when my son Apel turned two. I had made earlier attempts to read to him; when he was an infant he was essentially a captive audience, but when he got old enough to be ambulatory it was difficult to hold his attention. At two, however, he would happily sit through a stack of short storybooks with me. We went through a number of them, but the favorites were the Maurice Sendak classics Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. Marvelous stuff, and he loved them both, as well.
It was easy to read to him then as my principal preoccupation was reviewing for the bar exams. It became a little harder when I actually became a lawyer and started going to work. Although I would try to sneak in some reading now and again, it wasn't quite the same, and with the birth of my daugther Tala some months later, more time was spent changing diapers than reading.
Last year, with both Apel and Tala getting Dr. Seuss books for various occasions like birthdays and Christmas, I finally managed to get into it again, this time with two kids as my captive audience.
Out of a desire to have my kids learn Tagalog as early as possible, we also introduced them to books from the famed Adarna house of publishing. I feel I'm violating some kind of rule about parents not being bilingual while their kids' learning process is still in its embryonic stage, but both my kids, Tala especially, love the books, particularly the one about "the Ampalaya."
Apel is now five, Tala two and both of them absolutely love their bedtime stories, maybe even as much as I love reading them to them. While I read, Tala often snuggles under my arm and sits enrapt.
And like before, it doesn't even have to be bedtime for them to want to read. Quite often, Tala tells me she wants me to read "Ham" (Green Eggs and Ham) or "Zoo" (If I Ran the Zoo) or even "Ampaiya" (Alamat ng Ampalaya). And she more often than not sits through two readings.
Yes, if my kids do well at school (and Apel is already doing pretty well at his pre-school), I will credit these lovely pieces of literature for helping them along.
posted by Jim Arroyo | 9:26 PM
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