Curiosity Over Clicks: Rekindling a Love of Reading in the Digital Age
RIF’s VP of Literacy Programs & Research and podcast host, Dr. Erin Bailey speaks with children’s authors and educators Susan Verde and Emma Walton Hamilton about cultivating a lifelong love of reading in children, even in a screen-filled world. They share research-backed insights and practical strategies for families and educators, introduce the Enlightened Generation initiative, and emphasize keeping reading joyful, flexible, and connected to children’s interests.
About Susan Verde:
Susan Verde is a #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of more than 20 books, including the I Am series, and a yoga and mindfulness expert with a background in elementary education and reading remediation. She is also the co-founder of Enlightened Generation and continues to teach mindfulness workshops while living in East Hampton, New York with her family and pets.
About Emma Walton Hamilton:
Emma Walton Hamilton is a bestselling and award-winning author, editor, producer, and writing coach who has co-authored more than 35 books—many with her mother, Julie Andrews—including multiple New York Times bestsellers, and has earned accolades across literature, television, and audio. She is also a Grammy-winning voice-over artist, Emmy-nominated producer, and dedicated educator who teaches children’s literature, leads national writing initiatives, and advocates widely for the connection between the arts and literacy.
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00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.039
So, hello everyone and welcome.00:00:02.039 --> 00:00:02.219
We're.00:00:02.304 --> 00:00:07.495
So glad you could join us for our Every Family Count series today.00:00:07.495 --> 00:00:10.675
Our webinar title is Curiosity Over Clicks.00:00:10.914 --> 00:00:14.724
Rekindling a Love of Reading in a Digital Age.00:00:15.025 --> 00:00:25.584
We all know that in today's fast-paced digital world, children's attention is pulled in a thousand directions, and this happens before they even fully realize that it's happening.00:00:26.065 --> 00:00:30.235
As adults, we can see how the constant distraction affects focus and learning.00:00:31.340 --> 00:00:35.090
For many children, this is simply their everyday reality.00:00:35.360 --> 00:00:45.860
Tonight we're thrilled to have amazing guest facilitators here to explore how curiosity can be a powerful antidote to distraction, and a way to nurture a lifelong love of reading and learning.00:00:46.099 --> 00:00:57.800
We'll also explore why reading often fades as children get older, how digital distractions compete with books, and how curiosity fueled by small, engaging experiences can reignite a love of.00:00:57.894 --> 00:00:58.375
Reading.00:00:58.644 --> 00:01:07.464
We'll also look at the enlightened generation approach and how it connects learning curiosity and joy, whether you are an educator, family member.00:01:07.595 --> 00:01:18.755
This conversation is going to be packed with insightful and practical strategies to help children rediscover the magic of story wonder and curiosity, even in today's scrolling world.00:01:19.505 --> 00:01:21.095
So who are we?00:01:21.345 --> 00:01:28.335
I am Dr. Erin Bailey, the Vice President of Literacy Programs and Research at Reading is fundamental.00:01:28.785 --> 00:01:36.134
I'm a former educator and I am also joining as a parent, which is the central point of my identity.00:01:36.134 --> 00:01:39.014
So I have a lot to learn from this evening's webinar as well.00:01:39.014 --> 00:01:40.244
I'm very excited.00:01:40.634 --> 00:01:41.294
A little bit about.00:01:41.600 --> 00:01:47.579
Rif reading is Fundamental or RIF for short is the nation's largest children's literacy nonprofit.00:01:47.579 --> 00:01:58.410
And the oldest, our mission is to inspire joy of reading and ensure that every child has the opportunities and resources they need to become a lifelong reader and by extension learner.00:01:58.660 --> 00:02:03.980
So these webinars that we're going through, evening is part of our Every Family Counts webinar.00:02:03.980 --> 00:02:10.590
We also have an educator facing webinar and a book centric webinar if you are interested in joining those as well.00:02:10.590 --> 00:02:11.610
All are welcome.00:02:12.090 --> 00:02:15.870
So let me introduce our guest presenters this evening.00:02:15.930 --> 00:02:17.370
Susan Verde is.00:02:17.370 --> 00:02:23.095
New York Times bestselling children's book author and former elementary educator on top of writing.00:02:23.095 --> 00:02:27.155
She's also a teacher of yoga and mindfulness for children.00:02:27.345 --> 00:02:32.485
She's part of the founding enlightened Generation team and is their resident author.00:02:32.485 --> 00:02:34.105
She wrote the books for Enlightened Generation.00:02:34.795 --> 00:02:39.315
She contributes to it in many facets, including her give back program.00:02:39.585 --> 00:02:48.565
She believes in the power of wonder, curiosity and paying attention to the world in which we live as this is what makes us healthier, happier, and more connected people.00:02:49.995 --> 00:03:03.135
And then next we have Emma Walton Hamilton, who is a bestselling and award-winning author, editor, stage television and podcast writer and producer, performer and arts educator, together with her mother.00:03:03.135 --> 00:03:04.965
You may recognize Julie Andrews.00:03:05.115 --> 00:03:11.484
She has co-authored over 30 books for children and adults, nine of which have been New York Times bestsellers.00:03:11.665 --> 00:03:13.554
She's also a faculty member at.00:03:13.704 --> 00:03:17.725
Stony Brook University's MFA in creative Writing and literature program.00:03:17.904 --> 00:03:27.415
She teaches all forms of children's book writing to graduate and undergraduate students, as well as leads as their director of the annual children's literature conference.00:03:27.694 --> 00:03:30.844
Welcome, Susan and Emma.00:03:30.844 --> 00:03:33.514
I'm gonna turn the screen over to you now.00:03:33.934 --> 00:03:34.444
Thank you.00:03:34.504 --> 00:03:34.714
And00:03:34.714 --> 00:03:37.024
I will be moderating our discussion at the end.00:03:37.534 --> 00:03:38.224
Wonderful.00:03:38.224 --> 00:03:38.704
Thank you.00:03:38.704 --> 00:03:41.254
I'm just gonna share my screen.00:03:42.394 --> 00:03:43.054
There we go.00:03:43.054 --> 00:03:44.164
Can everybody see that?00:03:45.001 --> 00:03:45.991
I can see that.00:03:46.291 --> 00:03:46.801
Great.00:03:46.921 --> 00:03:47.521
All right.00:03:47.771 --> 00:03:55.491
It's a very much an honor to be here and I'm gonna let Susan start the conversation with our first slide.00:03:56.881 --> 00:04:01.831
I'm very happy to be here, especially with Emma, who I've known forever in a day.00:04:01.831 --> 00:04:10.261
And any chance we get to do something together that about reading and literacy, it's an amazing experience.00:04:10.811 --> 00:04:12.941
So let's get right to it.00:04:14.081 --> 00:04:17.351
Why is it so important to raise kids to creators?00:04:18.133 --> 00:04:19.003
There is.00:04:19.408 --> 00:04:21.268
Quantifiable evidence.00:04:21.538 --> 00:04:33.458
Obviously there's studies that show children who read well do better in enough subjects and in school and beyond school they're able to communicate better.00:04:33.998 --> 00:04:46.013
They have more confidence and better concentration skills, and they know how to solve problems and more likely to seek out and develop new ideas, which is really what we want for our children.00:04:46.063 --> 00:04:46.413
Right.00:04:47.678 --> 00:04:54.458
They are better at utilizing technology, which seems counterintuitive since we're trying to get off the technology.00:04:55.208 --> 00:05:04.958
But it's actually, so these are the equ defi things, but also, you know, it's important that kids become readers because.00:05:05.378 --> 00:05:17.518
They get to see themselves in different situations and different experiences, and that's really important to find people who validate how you're feeling or what you're experiencing.00:05:18.158 --> 00:05:23.558
So with all of these skills that they gain they're at an advantage.00:05:23.628 --> 00:05:28.938
They're more likely to get ahead in their career and earn a higher salary.00:05:29.718 --> 00:05:38.898
To get a promotion or a raise, and they're twice as likely to attend performing arts, visit museums, sporting, do volunteer work.00:05:39.048 --> 00:05:52.548
So they're really, it opens them up to this whole world of the arts and culture and gets them to experience things outside of themselves, which really lends itself to.00:05:53.778 --> 00:06:04.948
Understanding what kind of career they're interested in, and then being able to learn and exceed and excel in that career, which leads to the salary and the promotion.00:06:05.008 --> 00:06:11.068
And so it really has a lot of important outcomes to life success, but also.00:06:12.133 --> 00:06:18.653
Broadening your mind, wanting to absorb the art and the experiences around you.00:06:18.653 --> 00:06:22.793
So it, it keeps us from being so insular and kind of opens up the world.00:06:23.363 --> 00:06:29.213
Yeah, and I think, you know, critical thinking is a phrase we often hear bandied about in this realm.00:06:29.213 --> 00:06:40.213
But that's really what we're talking about here, is the ability to really use our critical thinking skills and that makes us a more well-rounded human being in the world.00:06:40.753 --> 00:06:55.853
Before we talk about strategies for getting and keeping kids reading, we thought we would just take a moment to talk about why reading how the value of reading versus the value or lack thereof of screen time.00:06:55.853 --> 00:06:58.913
And I wanna be very clear and say that when we talk about screen time.00:06:59.438 --> 00:07:08.198
We're not talking about reading eBooks or reading online, we're specifically talking about passive screen time.00:07:08.198 --> 00:07:17.778
So, you know, staring at screens, receiving, watching videos, receiving information from screens, doom scrolling, that kind of thing.00:07:18.238 --> 00:07:26.448
But the interesting data tells us that we actually use different parts of our brain when we read than when we look at screens and screens.00:07:27.673 --> 00:07:40.313
Typically trigger something called the orienting response in our brain, which is a very primal instinct to be on alert for sudden movements in our peripheral vision, in case it's a predator in the bushes, right?00:07:40.353 --> 00:07:43.833
This is the triggering the fight or flight mode essentially.00:07:44.043 --> 00:07:53.943
So what screens are doing are they're feeding that orienting response, and that's a very instinctive response, and it doesn't have very much to do with logic or reason.00:07:54.723 --> 00:07:56.433
Or reflective thought.00:07:56.883 --> 00:08:05.043
Whereas the parts of the brain that are central to reasoning are actually activated by reading printed words.00:08:05.403 --> 00:08:12.043
Reading printed words, which en engages our reasoning is all about decoding, right?00:08:12.043 --> 00:08:15.163
So we're looking at letters and we're looking at words, and we're making.00:08:15.658 --> 00:08:22.588
Letters and you know, strange shapes into letters and letters into words and words into sentences and sentences into meaning and context.00:08:22.618 --> 00:08:25.498
And all of this is engaging our reasoning ability.00:08:25.498 --> 00:08:26.218
Our ability to.00:08:26.608 --> 00:08:36.358
To make choices and to assess whether those choices are wise or not and how those choices connect to our value system.00:08:36.808 --> 00:08:52.498
So if we really think about it in those terms, in terms of like activating our central reasoning process versus our fight or flight mode, it becomes pretty apparent that our collective health as a society and our future.00:08:52.848 --> 00:09:00.428
And our planet's future really depends on us being readers and continuing to use that part of our brain.00:09:01.098 --> 00:09:05.188
So with that, and I'm pretty sure we're preaching to the converted here tonight.00:09:05.188 --> 00:09:12.898
So, we'll move from those statistics in facts into some strategies on how to get and keep kids reading.00:09:12.898 --> 00:09:15.508
And Susan, over to you for this next slide.00:09:15.508 --> 00:09:16.828
We've got five points.00:09:17.673 --> 00:09:19.173
That's always the tricky part.00:09:19.173 --> 00:09:31.073
I think that's the part that many parents and caregivers and even teachers have difficulty with is you know, getting kids reading and then fostering that love of reading.00:09:31.073 --> 00:09:37.878
I mean, teachers are, I. The pros, but even then with the world as it is today it's pretty challenging.00:09:37.878 --> 00:09:46.553
And I did just wanna reflect back about reading versus screen time and when you talked about the collective health and it's also, you know.00:09:47.308 --> 00:09:58.728
A big part of our collective, our mental health because you cannot function well if you're constantly in that orienting response in that fight or flight mode.00:09:58.728 --> 00:10:10.973
And so the fact that reading kind of shuts that off and gives your nervous system a break, a pause is really, has a strong effect on your own mental wellbeing.00:10:11.153 --> 00:10:11.303
So.00:10:11.858 --> 00:10:13.808
I just thought I'd throw that in there.00:10:14.468 --> 00:10:15.368
Good point.00:10:15.458 --> 00:10:16.148
Good point.00:10:16.148 --> 00:10:16.598
All right.00:10:16.598 --> 00:10:18.008
Jumping into the first key.00:10:18.008 --> 00:10:18.068
So00:10:18.998 --> 00:10:23.348
start reading to kids as early and as often as possible.00:10:23.348 --> 00:10:33.028
I think I know when I was always a reader and my parents read to me a lot and they had my brother read to me and they had books all around the house and so I was very fortunate in that way.00:10:33.028 --> 00:10:37.108
And I know as a parent I wanted to have that same kind of.00:10:38.098 --> 00:10:41.068
Atmosphere and connection to reading for my own kids.00:10:41.068 --> 00:10:49.168
But there's always that piece of you, I think, as a parent that is like, am I doing this the right way?00:10:49.168 --> 00:10:50.818
Am I talking to myself?00:10:50.818 --> 00:10:52.708
Am I, is my kid gonna even care?00:10:52.708 --> 00:10:53.038
Like what?00:10:54.238 --> 00:10:56.158
Take all of that self-judgment away.00:10:56.158 --> 00:10:57.808
There's no wrong way.00:10:57.808 --> 00:10:59.038
Just start reading.00:10:59.458 --> 00:11:03.273
Read to your kids, read with your kids, and reading is.00:11:04.333 --> 00:11:11.983
Not just, you know, picking up and getting through an entire book reading is, I mean, when I'm aging myself.00:11:11.983 --> 00:11:17.953
But, you know, I used to sit at the breakfast table and read the back of the cereal box and that is reading.00:11:17.983 --> 00:11:21.283
We could, you know, I could read it with my parents, but that was reading.00:11:21.743 --> 00:11:27.173
So starting in utero, of course your kids can.00:11:28.193 --> 00:11:35.783
There are all kinds of studies about your kids being able to hear your voice and music and all of these things when they're still growing.00:11:36.103 --> 00:11:43.453
And so starting to read to them when they're in utero also helps you practice kind of feeling comfortable with that.00:11:43.913 --> 00:11:47.443
And then reading can be a fun thing to do when they first wake up.00:11:47.623 --> 00:11:47.983
Right?00:11:47.983 --> 00:11:58.973
And again it can be reading the cereal box or reading, directions on a recipe or whatever, engages them and makes them.00:11:59.333 --> 00:11:59.513
It.00:11:59.513 --> 00:12:10.383
It's almost like sneaking it in there during mealtime is a great way to get them engaged and while waiting for an appointment, so while traveling right.00:12:10.383 --> 00:12:24.543
I remember schlepping all kinds of books for my kids and then, I felt like though they just really, it really gave them something very physical and mental to do while we were traveling or waiting for appointments.00:12:24.853 --> 00:12:31.963
At nap time or bedtime, you can make it kind of a ritual, which is sort of setting that tone of comfort and connection.00:12:32.653 --> 00:12:34.363
S while in the bath.00:12:34.423 --> 00:12:40.323
I mean, they're really just endless pauses in your life or places where you can sneak in some reading.00:12:40.893 --> 00:12:41.523
Oh yeah.00:12:41.523 --> 00:12:45.093
And keep reading together after the kids have learned my kids.00:12:46.138 --> 00:12:47.583
S loved being read to.00:12:47.583 --> 00:12:57.543
And when I visit schools and I work with middle schoolers who are think they're way past picture books or even high schoolers, they love being read to.00:12:57.753 --> 00:12:58.443
They really do.00:12:58.443 --> 00:13:00.153
And people stop doing that.00:13:00.153 --> 00:13:01.593
They don't have that opportunity.00:13:01.593 --> 00:13:02.673
Even adults like.00:13:03.003 --> 00:13:03.723
Being read too.00:13:03.813 --> 00:13:04.143
So I00:13:04.143 --> 00:13:04.863
think that's so true.00:13:04.863 --> 00:13:15.753
I think so often parents think, oh, I'm not supposed to keep reading to them after they can, after they're learning to read for themselves because I, you know, I'm supposed to cultivate their own independent reading skills.00:13:15.753 --> 00:13:25.623
But it's actually so, so important to continue to preserve those connections between reading and joy reading and love reading and pleasure reading in together time.00:13:26.088 --> 00:13:26.438
Right.00:13:26.608 --> 00:13:29.158
I think that's just such an important piece.00:13:29.638 --> 00:13:30.088
Read.00:13:30.643 --> 00:13:31.153
Yeah.00:13:31.553 --> 00:13:33.713
Setting a good example.00:13:33.983 --> 00:13:39.603
So this is about us letting kids see see us reading it.00:13:39.633 --> 00:13:43.893
Just to go to back to another statistic, parents who regularly read for pleasure are actually.00:13:44.718 --> 00:13:48.408
Six times more likely to have kids who do the same.00:13:48.408 --> 00:13:52.098
So we really wanna let kids see us reading.00:13:52.188 --> 00:14:00.678
And it doesn't have to be novels, it can be newspapers, it can be magazines, it can be cereal boxes, it can be recipes.00:14:00.678 --> 00:14:02.388
You know, just let kids.00:14:02.798 --> 00:14:09.998
See the value of reading in our own lives and key books everywhere you can think of around the house.00:14:09.998 --> 00:14:14.728
It makes a visual statement in terms of the value or the importance that you place on books.00:14:15.268 --> 00:14:18.268
In my house, we have books in the bathroom, we have books in the kitchen.00:14:18.268 --> 00:14:19.348
We have books in the living room.00:14:19.348 --> 00:14:23.128
We have books in our bedrooms and we literally have books in every room in the house.00:14:23.248 --> 00:14:28.268
And so my kids have grown up, you know, completely surrounded by books wherever they are.00:14:28.858 --> 00:14:32.968
And they're never more than an arm's reach away from a good read.00:14:33.628 --> 00:14:39.388
Organizing books attractively and making them appealing to kids to wanna reach out to.00:14:39.388 --> 00:14:47.258
So, this can be, you know, the, you can, this can be very personal, this can be very organic and specific to you.00:14:47.628 --> 00:14:50.748
My daughter loves to organize her books by color.00:14:51.148 --> 00:15:01.588
She's 22 now and she still organizes her books by color and she's got this beautiful rainbow bookshelf and it really is, it's just so aesthetically pleasing that I actually ended up.00:15:01.793 --> 00:15:08.273
Organizing my bookshelves in the same way because I thought it was so soothing and so beautiful to look at.00:15:08.663 --> 00:15:13.643
But also, you know, i'm sure we have some teachers and librarians with us this evening.00:15:13.643 --> 00:15:21.623
You know, the way in which books are sometimes arranged to face out instead of just the spines so that we can see, you know, the cover.00:15:21.893 --> 00:15:30.473
You can see behind Aaron how some of the books that are facing out popped and, you know, makes for an interesting and attractive visual statement.00:15:31.283 --> 00:15:34.703
Taking care of books and valuing them, you know, really.00:15:35.113 --> 00:15:37.603
Making sure that we protect them.00:15:37.603 --> 00:15:50.153
We don't, they don't get torn or too beaten up or, I mean, it's okay when your kids are really small to let them chew on the corners or, you know, handle the books in whatever way they, as.00:15:50.153 --> 00:15:52.403
It's better to be handling them than not at all.00:15:52.763 --> 00:15:55.643
But we also wanna preserve, you know, books.00:15:56.208 --> 00:15:57.678
Because they are cherished.00:15:57.678 --> 00:16:06.588
And so, to the extent that we can continue to protect them and take care of them and teach kids to do the same, it shows that they have value.00:16:06.678 --> 00:16:11.478
And then we can also advocate for literacy activities at schools.00:16:11.528 --> 00:16:18.128
You know, be on parents' committees that organize book fairs or volunteer for the book fairs and.00:16:18.438 --> 00:16:20.118
Advocate for author visits.00:16:20.118 --> 00:16:32.748
This is such an important piece, you know, for kids to see people who write books and illustrate books to come into their classrooms and talk to them about the process of writing and to read with them and to show them how books are made.00:16:33.118 --> 00:16:35.608
This, it's just such a valuable thing.00:16:35.608 --> 00:16:41.238
And these days with budget cuts and post COVID and all of that, not every school is.00:16:41.673 --> 00:16:45.423
Really advocating or doing much in the way of author visits anymore.00:16:45.423 --> 00:16:53.423
And I think it sometimes really is incumbent upon parents to fight the good fight and advocate for that in schools.00:16:54.153 --> 00:16:55.413
Back to you, Susan.00:16:55.968 --> 00:16:58.788
we've sort of been talking about that this whole time.00:16:58.838 --> 00:17:04.128
How things can be aesthetically pleasing, how they can reading can be connected to all the.00:17:04.718 --> 00:17:18.818
Fun things you're doing in your life when you're on your way to doing, going to a birthday party or going some, you know, books in the car, reading, reading during joyful things, making that connection.00:17:19.038 --> 00:17:27.143
Teachers may teach kids how to read, right, but parents can teach child to love reading, just that they have more opportunity.00:17:28.373 --> 00:17:32.153
To connect books to joyful experiences, right?00:17:32.333 --> 00:17:45.203
So you're looking for ways to kind of subliminally reinforce the connection between reading and pleasure, which again comes back to the sort of modeling that you show about how reading makes you feel joyful.00:17:45.503 --> 00:17:45.833
And.00:17:46.418 --> 00:17:49.958
That, you know, the kids attuned to that snuggle together.00:17:49.958 --> 00:17:56.168
So reading is associated with that together time, which is really nice and really important.00:17:56.448 --> 00:18:00.798
Visit libraries and bookstores together, which also is super fun.00:18:01.458 --> 00:18:04.248
And giving books is gifts that's showing them.00:18:05.133 --> 00:18:13.913
That you think books are important enough that, that they should be shared, that somebody else should have that joy as reading.00:18:14.463 --> 00:18:16.173
And then choosing books.00:18:16.173 --> 00:18:20.043
This is a big one for me also, choosing books connected to a passion.00:18:20.283 --> 00:18:31.433
I think sometimes as kids gets, get older, they they lose the ability in certain circumstances, maybe in classrooms or.00:18:32.453 --> 00:18:47.143
Wherever they may be to choose their books to sort of decide that they're passionate about something and then find a book about it because they have a book that they, you know, have to read for homework or something else that gets in the way.00:18:47.143 --> 00:18:55.903
But really making sure that you take that time to ch to let them choose books and have some autonomy, but connected to something that they're interested in.00:18:56.709 --> 00:18:59.199
Connect books to support activities, right?00:18:59.199 --> 00:19:03.009
So anything that your kid may be doing or something you went and saw.00:19:03.009 --> 00:19:06.939
There's always a book about that thing, which is so fantastic about books.00:19:06.939 --> 00:19:09.609
I mean, there are books for everything.00:19:09.639 --> 00:19:14.189
And so, connecting that thing to a book, you can find a story about whatever it is.00:19:14.189 --> 00:19:24.539
You went to a. Well you went to a movie, there's usually a book before that, but you know, you went and saw a baseball game or you went for a walk in the woods.00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:39.709
There are books about those things and those feelings that you get participating in or watching those things, and it's a really wonderful way to continue and the activity and the joy and bring it into a book experience.00:19:40.369 --> 00:19:47.679
I like to think of this one as like using stealth mode to to reinforce the connection between reading and pleasure.00:19:47.679 --> 00:19:54.159
And conversely, we wanna avoid withholding books for any reason, right?00:19:54.159 --> 00:19:54.939
Because just as.00:19:55.004 --> 00:20:07.144
As we wanna reinforce the connection between reading and joy, we don't wanna say, you know, if you do that, you can't stay up and read before bedtime tonight, or something like that, because then you're reinforcing the connection between books and punishment, right?00:20:07.594 --> 00:20:21.164
So the whole idea is to ask, always be asking, is this something that is gonna underscore the relationship between books and Joy For, for my child or for my students, or whomever it may be.00:20:21.704 --> 00:20:23.714
Connecting reading to life skills.00:20:23.714 --> 00:20:36.104
So again, this is demonstrating, setting an example, demonstrating how important reading is in adulthood and in terms of coping and functioning in the world.00:20:36.464 --> 00:20:46.564
Things like reading recipes out loud while you cook together, or reading instructions together when you're building equipment or when you're assembling a game or a toy.00:20:46.874 --> 00:20:50.054
Reading shopping lists or package ingredients together.00:20:51.104 --> 00:20:53.294
Offering books as problem solvers.00:20:53.294 --> 00:20:55.334
We call this bibliotherapy, right?00:20:55.674 --> 00:21:02.404
If they need to find a way to solve a problem, there's gotta be a book about that we can turn to for the solution.00:21:03.094 --> 00:21:05.344
Promoting journaling and scrapbooking.00:21:05.344 --> 00:21:11.724
So, this can be, you know, during a family trip or a vacation, but it actually can be sort of any time at all.00:21:12.064 --> 00:21:23.644
It just, you know, showing again how reading and writing are ways to document and ways to capture memories and maybe creating a year end family newsletter together.00:21:24.049 --> 00:21:26.569
Taking children with us when we vote.00:21:26.569 --> 00:21:29.689
I did, I started doing this when my kids were really small.00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:40.619
You know, they could barely see over the voting table, but it was just such an important thing to demonstrate how being able to read, you know, a ballot is such an important life skill.00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:49.909
So, making sure that kids see how important reading is when it comes to just the daily functioning elements of life.00:21:51.109 --> 00:21:53.719
And over to you, Susan, for our last point.00:21:54.139 --> 00:21:56.359
Oh, well, number five.00:21:56.439 --> 00:22:00.459
So connect reading to curiosity and wonder, right?00:22:00.459 --> 00:22:10.339
Like that's how we learn, we extend what we're reading, we extend our activities we become curious about the world or about anything thing.00:22:10.369 --> 00:22:18.289
That's why we were talking about sort of reading things, help, letting a child choose something they're passionate about to read about.00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:19.409
And that.00:22:20.459 --> 00:22:34.669
That asking, that wondering, that curiosity really leads to a desire for more learning, for not more books, more learning, finding out what your passion is, right?00:22:35.009 --> 00:22:37.199
Finding out what you don't like, finding out what you do like.00:22:37.199 --> 00:22:42.719
So you can do this in a multitude of ways, but you can pair reading with discovery activities.00:22:42.719 --> 00:22:44.099
So if you're.00:22:44.849 --> 00:22:48.689
Reading something about the natural wonders in the world, right?00:22:48.689 --> 00:22:55.559
You have a book and you also have, a real life experience or you see photographs or things like that.00:22:55.559 --> 00:23:01.719
So you're connecting the reading with discovering you can explore other cultures through reading.00:23:01.719 --> 00:23:11.449
It really opens you up to the world and to the idea that there's so much out there for you to explore and learn about and get to know.00:23:11.818 --> 00:23:16.278
So we've been very fortunate to connect with reading as fundamental.00:23:16.548 --> 00:23:37.598
Enlightened Generation is a brand that I have been a part of since its inception and I've written these books, but really this is a way to connect reading to Joy, connect reading to curiosity, and sort of reinforce the learning experience that you've had in a kind of.00:23:37.718 --> 00:23:39.818
Stealth and wonderful way.00:23:39.968 --> 00:23:44.408
So Enlightened Generation is a new clothing brand for kids.00:23:44.838 --> 00:23:47.658
But it's really clothing with a purpose.00:23:47.658 --> 00:23:58.318
So we have six collections of clothing and each collection is a world wonder or a, an amazing animal or.00:23:58.623 --> 00:24:00.243
Learning about language, right.00:24:00.243 --> 00:24:01.203
Things like that.00:24:01.293 --> 00:24:19.053
And so we have a beautiful book that's written about that particular wonder and topic, and it's filled with facts, but it's also filled with questions to inspire curiosity and activities to kind of continue the learning and activate the book and the reading.00:24:19.443 --> 00:24:21.233
And then the clothes.00:24:21.653 --> 00:24:26.663
Are all a reflection of whatever you learned about in that book.00:24:26.663 --> 00:24:35.853
So if you were reading about the Moai of Rappa Newi or Easter Island as some people know it then you have this amazing t-shirt that has.00:24:36.373 --> 00:24:39.203
Rapanui I mean, moi statues on it.00:24:39.653 --> 00:24:43.553
And so you kind of, if someone comes up to you and says, what is that?00:24:43.553 --> 00:24:44.273
What are you wearing?00:24:44.453 --> 00:24:49.913
It activates your brain to remember some of the things you've learned while reading.00:24:49.973 --> 00:24:50.333
Right?00:24:50.483 --> 00:24:56.063
And so it's a way of reinforcing in a sort of cool, fun design way.00:24:56.493 --> 00:25:02.043
And also this whole experience gives you a chance to.00:25:02.613 --> 00:25:04.023
Learn something together.00:25:04.083 --> 00:25:10.793
So as a family, you read, you unbox, you talk, you ask each other questions.00:25:10.793 --> 00:25:15.983
There are some questions in the backs of all of these books that kids can ask their grownup.00:25:16.283 --> 00:25:25.233
So you're really getting the full experience of connecting, reading to joy, curiosity doing things together, right?00:25:25.263 --> 00:25:29.463
Having that moment together, activating that part of your brain, giving your.00:25:30.588 --> 00:25:41.418
Nervous system arrest and also feeling connected not only to the person who you are reading with and experiencing this with, but also to what's out there in the world.00:25:41.958 --> 00:25:44.418
And that's really key to.00:25:45.123 --> 00:25:49.553
Reading, literacy connection, all of those things.00:25:49.583 --> 00:25:58.243
And I'm just gonna say one really wonderful thing about this whole brand is that each collection is connected to.00:25:58.928 --> 00:26:16.728
An a nonprofit organization that is doing their part in that community, in that culture in that area of learning to reinforce literacy, to help with kids and education, to help our environment to do all kinds of wonderful things.00:26:16.728 --> 00:26:17.778
So every time you.00:26:18.518 --> 00:26:24.158
Buy one of these beautiful pieces of clothing and this book and have this experience.00:26:24.378 --> 00:26:32.968
You're giving back to one of these places that's helping everybody grow and keep the culture alive and and helping each other.00:26:32.968 --> 00:26:34.318
So you're making a big difference.00:26:34.318 --> 00:26:40.048
And one of our partners is of course, riff reading is fundamental.00:26:40.048 --> 00:26:42.128
So, they are also.00:26:42.563 --> 00:26:46.223
A big part of one of our collections on language and communication.00:26:47.633 --> 00:26:52.043
Alright, so I'm gonna stop sharing now.00:26:52.478 --> 00:26:58.448
So that we can chat amongst ourselves and our, and with our attendees.00:26:59.078 --> 00:27:00.818
Thank you both so much.00:27:00.868 --> 00:27:11.188
Emma and Susan, that was wonderful and also tangible, like as I was following along as a parent, there was nothing in your presentation that felt.00:27:11.853 --> 00:27:17.313
Outside of something that I could do and adopt into my everyday practices.00:27:17.313 --> 00:27:22.503
So I really appreciate how accessible you made everything for the families that are joining us.00:27:22.503 --> 00:27:27.633
And you might have seen that I was giggling a little bit and I shared in the chat about reading in the bath.00:27:27.663 --> 00:27:30.513
It's not something we do often, but actually last night my daughter asked.00:27:31.658 --> 00:27:32.168
Will you?00:27:32.218 --> 00:27:36.118
We got a magazine with stories in it, in the mail, and she said, will you read it to me?00:27:36.368 --> 00:27:36.938
In the bath.00:27:36.938 --> 00:27:40.898
So there we were last night reading the Prince and the Popper in the bath.00:27:40.898 --> 00:27:50.018
And because she has great negotiation skills, that meant that she had more than her typical two books before, before bed because the bath book didn't count.00:27:50.888 --> 00:27:51.188
Yeah, excellent.00:27:51.743 --> 00:27:52.493
I love that.00:27:52.493 --> 00:27:58.993
And you know, I remember my kids had you know, spec books that were specifically made for the bath books that were made of plastic.00:27:58.993 --> 00:27:59.113
Mm-hmm.00:27:59.383 --> 00:28:02.383
Whatever they were, you know, that were waterproof and you could read in the bath.00:28:02.383 --> 00:28:07.003
But also we, you know, I so many hours sitting by the bath.00:28:07.283 --> 00:28:10.013
Reading to both my kids while they were in the bath.00:28:10.013 --> 00:28:11.573
Such a lovely thing to do, you know?00:28:11.623 --> 00:28:17.763
And you can get one of those lovely little trays that goes across the bath with a stand to lean the book up against mm-hmm.00:28:18.003 --> 00:28:19.593
A whole sensory experience.00:28:19.593 --> 00:28:20.643
You know, what a great, yeah.00:28:20.643 --> 00:28:21.873
Connect reading with pleasure.00:28:22.293 --> 00:28:39.783
I went to visit my daughter at college a couple of weeks ago and she's in Providence and I had a. A book with me, but we found this really cool independent bookstore and we went there together and she got a book and I got another book.00:28:40.123 --> 00:28:48.073
And then we kind of put them aside and then when we were getting into bed, getting ready to sleep, she pulled out her book and I pulled out my book.00:28:48.103 --> 00:28:58.153
We didn't say anything to each other, we just were, and I just, that feeling of looking over and seeing her reading and I'm reading and it was just such a nice.00:28:59.023 --> 00:29:02.053
Experience, you know, I'm like, wow, she's reading.00:29:02.713 --> 00:29:03.403
This is great.00:29:03.673 --> 00:29:04.183
It worked.00:29:04.633 --> 00:29:04.933
You know.00:29:05.776 --> 00:29:06.196
Yes.00:29:06.226 --> 00:29:10.606
And I appreciate the way you connected it to the greater world too.00:29:10.656 --> 00:29:19.686
That reading isn't just important for our individual sense of self and sense of joy, but it actually contributes to our ecosystem.00:29:19.736 --> 00:29:23.296
I thought that was great and I will probably use that in the future too.00:29:23.606 --> 00:29:25.226
We do have some questions here.00:29:25.506 --> 00:29:30.726
So in general, what role does curiosity play in a child's reading development?00:29:30.846 --> 00:29:31.206
You know.00:29:31.381 --> 00:29:37.661
We hear so much about the specific skills that children need and the chronology of them.00:29:37.661 --> 00:29:42.281
So just wondering where does curiosity fit into that reading development?00:29:42.341 --> 00:29:47.871
And then are there actions, educators and families can take to spark this curiosity for children?00:29:49.251 --> 00:29:59.796
I mean, I'll just say that, you know, curiosity, is it is, it plays a key role in, in reading development and all those steps and things you need to learn.00:29:59.856 --> 00:30:09.096
It's not, it takes away the idea that this is just memorization and something, you know, rote and that you have to, it's something you have to do.00:30:09.096 --> 00:30:19.006
It gives you a chance to wonder why and where it came from, and it just makes it more you feel more connected to the process of reading when.00:30:19.411 --> 00:30:20.851
You're curious.00:30:21.691 --> 00:30:41.221
Yeah, and I think that, you know, going back to this notion of connecting reading to books, to passions, you know, connecting books to cur curiosity is key as well in terms of if a child asks a question like, you know, what, where does, how do bees make honey?00:30:41.221 --> 00:30:45.651
Or, you know, what, whatever the curious question might be, you know?00:30:46.388 --> 00:30:50.198
To try to say, well, I wonder if we can find a book about that.00:30:50.228 --> 00:30:54.458
You know, let's see if we can find a book about that and do it, and really learn something about that.00:30:54.818 --> 00:30:56.048
So easy, right.00:30:56.048 --> 00:30:58.928
In this day and age to just say, I don't know, let's Google it.00:30:59.348 --> 00:30:59.678
Right.00:30:59.858 --> 00:31:03.128
But there are some absolutely gorgeous books out there.00:31:03.128 --> 00:31:05.168
You know, I'm just thinking about bees and honey.00:31:05.168 --> 00:31:08.978
I mean, there are some beautiful picture books that are, you know.00:31:09.263 --> 00:31:16.223
Deep dives into the life cycle of a bee and how bees pollinate and how their importance in our ecosystem.00:31:16.273 --> 00:31:20.698
And I'm thinking about, there's even one book about the bees who live in, at the top of Notre Dame.00:31:21.088 --> 00:31:37.258
You know, like you can, one little question can lead you down a road through books that, that lead to other questions and other curiosities in a way that I think just Googling the answer, you know, doesn't necessarily always do.00:31:38.158 --> 00:31:42.178
And then it gives you know, it gives a child.00:31:42.898 --> 00:31:46.078
Permission to ask questions, to be curious.00:31:46.078 --> 00:31:53.638
Right, because, and if you don't know the answer, that's even better because then it's something you can learn together.00:31:53.638 --> 00:31:53.998
You can, yeah.00:31:54.448 --> 00:31:58.588
And so they learn to say, I'm not sure, let's do this.00:31:58.588 --> 00:31:59.698
Let's go get a book.00:31:59.728 --> 00:32:07.168
And it becomes an experience that they then remember and they have that sort of confidence to ask questions.00:32:07.168 --> 00:32:08.068
And also.00:32:08.578 --> 00:32:17.668
Understand that finding out the answer can actually be a really joyful experience versus just typing it in and Right.00:32:17.968 --> 00:32:18.298
Getting something.00:32:19.192 --> 00:32:19.852
I love that.00:32:19.852 --> 00:32:23.902
Using books to ask questions and then further questions really.00:32:23.902 --> 00:32:32.392
I remember once I, I taught preschool, so three and 4-year-old students and a little girl asked me do whales have ears?00:32:32.692 --> 00:32:35.092
And to your point, Susan, about, you might not know the answer.00:32:35.092 --> 00:32:36.022
I actually had no clue.00:32:36.032 --> 00:32:44.972
I knew nothing about the anatomy of whales, but I was able to find a book about whales and we read the book as a class together, and that inspired so many.00:32:45.182 --> 00:32:46.022
More questions.00:32:46.022 --> 00:32:50.982
We were able to actually do a full unit on ocean animals and whales as a result of that.00:32:50.982 --> 00:32:55.282
So you can really follow those paths of curiosity in different directions.00:32:55.282 --> 00:32:55.402
That's00:32:55.402 --> 00:32:55.552
a great00:32:55.942 --> 00:32:56.482
example.00:32:57.355 --> 00:32:58.165
do they have ears?00:32:58.345 --> 00:32:58.945
They do.00:32:59.125 --> 00:33:00.595
They have exceptional hearing.00:33:00.595 --> 00:33:07.375
They have basically hidden ear, not ears that we would think of, but they have hidden ears underneath their skin.00:33:07.915 --> 00:33:08.035
Yeah.00:33:09.535 --> 00:33:10.585
So you can't see them.00:33:10.585 --> 00:33:12.275
That was, that's the challenging part.00:33:13.055 --> 00:33:21.185
So my next question for y'all is why do more traditional models of reading discourage independent reading?00:33:21.185 --> 00:33:24.155
We know we see less independent reading as children get older.00:33:24.155 --> 00:33:24.425
What?00:33:24.425 --> 00:33:25.445
Why is that?00:33:26.975 --> 00:33:30.115
I think that so often, reading.00:33:30.175 --> 00:33:47.155
You know, we touched on this earlier in terms of when kids start to read independently, we back off as parents from reading with them or from continuing to connect reading with pleasure because we think we're doing the right thing by, you know, empowering our kids to read independently.00:33:47.155 --> 00:33:49.975
But sometimes it's challenging to learn how to read.00:33:50.035 --> 00:33:55.855
You know, it takes time and not every kid, it doesn't necessarily come easy to every kid and.00:33:56.855 --> 00:34:10.365
If it's associated with homework or you know, some obligatory lesson or chore, then all of a sudden it becomes, you know, something you have to do rather than something you're choosing to do.00:34:10.365 --> 00:34:17.115
And that whole kind of connecting, reading with pleasure things suddenly isn't, is destabilized a little bit.00:34:17.565 --> 00:34:20.445
It's also, you know, the type of books sometimes that.00:34:20.870 --> 00:34:25.220
In curricula, you know, kids have to read for.00:34:25.310 --> 00:34:32.380
I remember when my son was in seventh grade the school that Susan and I, our kids went to the same school.00:34:32.380 --> 00:34:38.390
And there was a very specific curriculum that tracked through the evolution of the planet, basically.00:34:38.610 --> 00:34:40.590
And history, cultural history.00:34:40.995 --> 00:34:46.805
And by the time we got to seventh grade it was, there was, it was Greeks and Romans and there was a lot of war.00:34:47.285 --> 00:34:52.985
And the book that was assigned to my son's class was a book called My Brother Sam is Dead.00:34:54.035 --> 00:34:54.335
Oh God.00:34:54.335 --> 00:34:55.715
And it's a famous book.00:34:55.715 --> 00:35:00.305
It's a classic, you know, middle grade novel, but it's set in wartime.00:35:00.305 --> 00:35:02.615
It's very sad.00:35:03.065 --> 00:35:04.655
And my son's name is Sam.00:35:04.955 --> 00:35:05.045
Mm-hmm.00:35:05.045 --> 00:35:07.535
And he, at the time, he was a new brother.00:35:07.535 --> 00:35:14.855
He had a little, my, my daughter had just been born and it really was like a gut punch for him having to read this book.00:35:14.885 --> 00:35:18.275
And I remember his his teacher.00:35:19.070 --> 00:35:22.490
Said to the class, you know, okay, everybody, what did you think of the book this week?00:35:22.490 --> 00:35:23.690
Who has feedback?00:35:23.690 --> 00:35:25.730
Is there anything you can share about what we're reading?00:35:25.730 --> 00:35:36.010
And he s he said to his credit, he said I thought it was beautifully bound and you know, nicely printed and illustrated.00:35:36.430 --> 00:35:43.190
But ever the diplomat, my son, he said, but but I have to say, I had, I found it really hard to read, and it's.00:35:43.795 --> 00:35:51.055
The, these books that we've been reading recently in class are kind of turning me off reading altogether 'cause they're all so sad.00:35:51.925 --> 00:35:57.025
And his teacher, thank goodness heard it and.00:35:57.580 --> 00:36:02.800
Caught it in the moment and said, okay, your next read Sam, is a free read.00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:05.080
You get to pick the book for the next read.00:36:05.110 --> 00:36:08.900
And that was just such a precious moment, right?00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:14.990
And of course then it was, then the pressure was on, okay, what book is it gonna be that re captivates his interest in reading?00:36:14.990 --> 00:36:19.850
And so he said to him, you know, what do you wanna, what kind of book do you wanna read, Sam?00:36:19.850 --> 00:36:20.450
And he said.00:36:20.930 --> 00:36:26.960
Something realistic, something funny, and about animals.00:36:27.873 --> 00:36:34.323
So then it would be, you know, the onus was on us to find something that fit that bill and captivated his imagination.00:36:34.323 --> 00:36:35.913
We, I took him to the library.00:36:36.333 --> 00:36:42.643
We went to the to our local library and to the library, and we were like, okay, Sam needs a book that is realistic, funny, and about animals.00:36:43.263 --> 00:36:46.713
And she gave him Gerald Durrell, my family, and other animals.00:36:46.713 --> 00:36:47.853
And that did the trick.00:36:47.853 --> 00:36:48.573
He loved it.00:36:48.573 --> 00:36:53.013
He laughed out loud and he was right back into to loving reading again.00:36:53.013 --> 00:36:53.343
So, I mean,00:36:53.553 --> 00:37:04.418
thank goodness she heard him and also, yes, advocate for himself because I think one of my kids who has dyslexia had a lot of difficulty reading.00:37:04.573 --> 00:37:07.753
And in 11th grade, he was given.00:37:08.813 --> 00:37:21.033
The classics that are not written the way kids speak and communicate, and it was very hard for him and it just really turned him off from reading altogether.00:37:21.033 --> 00:37:27.133
He's just now beginning to see that there are things that he can choose and read for joy, but it00:37:27.133 --> 00:37:27.943
definitely.00:37:28.888 --> 00:37:35.098
It's tough and you know, I think sometimes, like there are different ways to read, right?00:37:35.098 --> 00:37:39.028
We, it's not just look, holding a book in your hands and looking at words on the page.00:37:39.058 --> 00:37:44.838
I remember when my son was a certain age my son had strabismus, which is a lazy eye.00:37:45.338 --> 00:37:48.608
And what it meant was that his eyes didn't team.00:37:48.668 --> 00:37:51.863
He eventually had a surgery and now they do team.00:37:51.863 --> 00:38:01.133
But for most of his childhood, he was always looking through either one eye or the other and not both at the same time, which was extremely fatiguing for his brain.00:38:01.133 --> 00:38:03.713
And reading was really challenging.00:38:03.713 --> 00:38:13.783
And I remember after we discovered this, I remember the school psychologist saying to us, he's more of an auditory learner than a visual learner.00:38:14.053 --> 00:38:21.523
So give him audio books because that's gonna be a great way for him to engage with reading.00:38:21.523 --> 00:38:22.933
And it really helped.00:38:22.933 --> 00:38:30.583
You know, he would listen to the book at the same time as looking at the book, but mostly absorbing it through the narration that he was hearing.00:38:30.583 --> 00:38:32.413
And that's reading, right?00:38:32.413 --> 00:38:36.028
That's no less reading than actually scanning the page with your eyes.00:38:37.033 --> 00:38:38.413
Read comic books.00:38:38.413 --> 00:38:39.583
That's reading too.00:38:39.613 --> 00:38:55.643
You know, it, it, as long as you're reading with joy, something that speaks to you, that sparks a passion and in a way that feels comfortable and, you know, speaks to you.00:38:56.313 --> 00:39:00.603
It's reading and it's gonna have all the benefits and all the positive effects.00:39:00.923 --> 00:39:13.373
Of course we have to, you know, we kids have to go to school and sometimes they have to read boring stuff and they do have to learn how to read and to decode, and they have to learn fluency and all of the, you know, those reading terms.00:39:14.063 --> 00:39:21.473
But I think it's really important to balance that with the joy, you know, to keep the joy of reading alive through.00:39:22.463 --> 00:39:27.383
Giving them opportunities to find stories in ways that speak to them.00:39:27.803 --> 00:39:28.073
Right.00:39:28.073 --> 00:39:33.563
For every book they have to read, give them a, let them choose a book that they want to read.00:39:34.013 --> 00:39:34.373
Yes.00:39:34.433 --> 00:39:35.063
Perfect00:39:35.063 --> 00:39:37.043
Topic, novels, whatever it is.00:39:37.433 --> 00:39:37.763
Love that.00:39:37.913 --> 00:39:38.903
Audio books.00:39:39.053 --> 00:39:39.293
Yeah.00:39:40.573 --> 00:39:41.353
It's a balance.00:39:41.623 --> 00:39:45.283
And if I can just pull on a thread of something you said, Emma.00:39:45.463 --> 00:39:50.113
There's not, there's more than one way to read a book.00:39:50.143 --> 00:39:53.323
And so you have designed a book, a series of books.00:39:53.323 --> 00:39:55.733
Susan, you're the author and Emma you're the editor.00:39:55.733 --> 00:39:58.073
So I wanna ask you, I've looked at the books.00:39:58.073 --> 00:40:04.393
I have my own answer that I could give for this, but how were you able to write a book that is.00:40:04.688 --> 00:40:09.428
Captivating curio and inspiring curiosity for ages three through 12.00:40:09.458 --> 00:40:17.768
Because I'm sure many parents when they hear that are thinking, there's no way my 3-year-old, my 9-year-old, and my 12-year-old can read the same book.00:40:18.608 --> 00:40:20.888
I, you know, it was it's a very good question.00:40:20.948 --> 00:40:29.778
And we thought long and hard about that because, you know, we were deciding for enlightened generation whether to make these books one for each.00:40:30.338 --> 00:40:38.018
Grade level or growth period, or period of development or just one that could be for everyone.00:40:38.018 --> 00:40:39.098
And how would we do that?00:40:39.098 --> 00:40:53.258
And I, so we, obviously, we chose the one, but the way that these books are written are, they're, they give you a lot of opportunity as the adult to share.00:40:53.798 --> 00:40:57.218
What connects and then leave out what doesn't.00:40:57.218 --> 00:41:01.808
And then the books you can kind of revisit and grow with these books.00:41:01.808 --> 00:41:05.618
They're meant to keep, they're meant to go back to learn more about.00:41:05.618 --> 00:41:12.668
And things are written in sort of chunks, you know, in the way that, that kids really take information these days.00:41:12.858 --> 00:41:14.088
So very.00:41:14.688 --> 00:41:21.708
Very short and beautiful chunks that are supported by photographs that are, you know, pictures.00:41:21.948 --> 00:41:35.028
So there are a lot of ways you can engage all the different ages, and this is again, a place where the grownup needs to know that there's no wrong or right way, like you know your kid better than anyone else.00:41:35.028 --> 00:41:37.878
So if you're sitting down with this book and you get through.00:41:39.063 --> 00:41:48.243
Two pages, three facts, whatever it is, that's still something you can skip right to the curiosity pages or right to the you.00:41:48.243 --> 00:41:48.783
You can.00:41:49.878 --> 00:41:52.728
You, there are no hard and fast rules.00:41:52.728 --> 00:41:59.718
You can kind of pick what works or, you know, go as far as your child can go in that moment.00:42:00.058 --> 00:42:02.158
And then you have all this stuff to come back to.00:42:02.158 --> 00:42:06.638
So I think don't try to overload them with everything.00:42:06.668 --> 00:42:13.958
Go with their reactions, responses, questions, and then, you know, someone who's 10 or whatever, if they can.00:42:14.303 --> 00:42:15.503
Read independently.00:42:15.503 --> 00:42:19.493
You still are sharing that time together and maybe they'll read something to you.00:42:19.493 --> 00:42:20.543
You read something to them.00:42:20.543 --> 00:42:23.303
So there are many ways you can keep them engaged.00:42:23.768 --> 00:42:25.538
Regardless of the age.00:42:25.958 --> 00:42:44.108
There's also the use of questions, which I really I really resonated with throughout the book and our, I remember there was a moment when our the Enlightened Generation's founder, Robin's daughter, who is herself a parent of small children came up with the idea to include a page.00:42:44.158 --> 00:42:51.538
In the middle of the book that says, wait, don't stop, you know, let's, what questions do you have right now?00:42:51.538 --> 00:42:52.078
About where?00:42:52.108 --> 00:42:56.998
About what we've just talked about and are you curious about this or are you curious about that?00:42:56.998 --> 00:42:59.008
Or maybe you wondering this?00:42:59.008 --> 00:43:01.798
Well, read on to find out the answers.00:43:01.798 --> 00:43:09.718
And it keeps, I think it keeps the readers, the kids of all ages kind of engaged in real time because you're.00:43:10.298 --> 00:43:16.048
Stimulating their curiosity and inviting them to think about their questions as you continue reading.00:43:16.048 --> 00:43:22.078
And the photographs in these books are really very beautiful and very evocative.00:43:22.078 --> 00:43:32.068
And I think so much the beauty of these books is that the child, no matter how young they are, can piece together.00:43:32.983 --> 00:43:52.513
Enough of the story from a combination of hearing the information but also absorbing these gl glorious visuals, which, you know, so really there's opportunities for older kids to
get deeper into the weeds with some of the facts and the information, but younger kids to engage with the artwork and the illustrations and the photographs and kids of all ages.00:43:53.203 --> 00:43:58.653
Curiosity is to be sparked by the questions that the book asks from one section to the next.00:43:58.773 --> 00:43:58.983
Yeah.00:43:58.983 --> 00:44:11.853
I mean, and that's one of the other sort of wonderful pieces is that yes, it's a book that gives you information and tells you things that are facts about whatever it is that you're looking at, but it also.00:44:13.203 --> 00:44:17.283
Tells you what we don't know yet, and that everyone and says,00:44:17.493 --> 00:44:20.223
maybe one day you'll be the person who finds out the answer.00:44:20.223 --> 00:44:20.403
Right?00:44:20.463 --> 00:44:21.153
That out, right?00:44:21.153 --> 00:44:24.873
So it's like not everybody has the answer to everything.00:44:25.183 --> 00:44:30.853
There are even these mysteries or these things or these wonders that have been studied by scientists and this, that and the other.00:44:31.093 --> 00:44:37.453
There are still unknowns and there's still opportunity for you to be the one to figure it out.00:44:38.353 --> 00:44:55.693
So it's really sort of, there are many parts of it that are very inviting, you know, that sort of break that fourth wall or whatever you might say, you know, that kind of talk directly to you and let you know that this could be your experience too, or this could be your discovery too.00:44:56.841 --> 00:45:00.961
if there was one takeaway you would like for our listeners to have.00:45:01.688 --> 00:45:06.186
For me it would be preserve the connection between reading and pleasure.00:45:06.666 --> 00:45:12.566
You know, just continually ask, is this gonna reinforce the connection between reading and pleasure?00:45:12.566 --> 00:45:20.346
Every, every activity, every opportunity to read just keep looking for ways to underscore the joy in reading.00:45:21.306 --> 00:45:33.415
And I would say, well, the same, but also, don't stress about it, how you're reading or how long your child is sitting still or what the rules are supposed to, what it's supposed to look like.00:45:33.415 --> 00:45:33.775
Right.00:45:33.985 --> 00:45:37.240
We know that reading can look different and we talked about that.00:45:37.240 --> 00:45:44.830
It can and so if you can let go of those sort of restraints and judgements and whatever, you can make the experience.00:45:45.190 --> 00:45:46.690
Joyful for both of you.00:45:47.210 --> 00:45:49.850
And that is, is a really important connection.00:45:50.558 --> 00:45:52.238
Thank you Emma and Susan.00:45:52.238 --> 00:45:58.448
It was so wonderful to have you and we will be in touch and thank you everyone for joining us.00:45:58.898 --> 00:46:00.368
Thank you so much for having us.00:46:00.368 --> 00:46:01.688
It was a pleasure to be here.00:46:02.233 --> 00:46:02.603
Thank you all.
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