Today I’m hosting fellow Mantle Rock Publishing author Heather Greer! Welcome, Heather!
Everyone knows if you want to raise readers all you have to do is be a reader. Read to your children and model reading to them, and you too can have a superstar reader. Every literacy aimed parenting article proclaims this truth proudly. Even if they didn’t, I’ve seen it on the internet. So, it must be true. Right?
Imagine my dismay when my children proved the exception to the rule.
I am an avid reader. My favorite days in school weren’t show and tell days. No. I loved library day. And Scholastic Book Fairs? They were a magical time that I didn’t outgrow. I still love them, and I’ve even had the opportunity to run a few. Books are always a safe bet when trying to buy a birthday or Christmas gift for me. And if you make it a new Kristen Heitzmann book, I’ll love you forever! Modeling reading to my children was never a problem.
Reading to them was as rewarding to me as reading for my own enjoyment.
I love picture books. I just found out November is National Picture Book Month. How have I gone all my life without knowing that? I guarantee I’ll celebrate it from now on. I have shelves of picture books even though my youngest child is fifteen now. I’ll have them until the day I die. They’re beautiful. I don’t buy the television or movie based picture books, unless the shows came out after the books. I want strong stories with beautiful artwork. And I loved sharing these stories with my children when they were small.
As they grew, I kept reading to them. James and the Giant Peach and the Chronicles of Narnia series were favorites. Those are some of my favorite memories.
I followed the expert suggestions. I didn’t do it to create readers. I did it for the love of reading. I wanted my children to experience the same joy I feel when reading. I wanted to show them all the worlds they had available at their fingertips, give them new perspectives, and give them a way to simply relax and have fun. Creating super readers was only a much anticipated side effect. But then reality slapped me in the face.
My oldest two read. In fact, they’ve both written beautiful poetry as well. My youngest two are great story tellers with vivid imaginations. How shocking it was to realize from early ages that they were not going to be readers.
I can’t totally blame them though. This pursuit that I’m so passionate about has never come easy to them. Muscles that took longer to develop in my middle son’s eyes drew words together into a jumbled mess. An individual word on a card wasn’t a problem. Put two together and the words converged into an indecipherable mess. Once muscle control kicked in, he was already slower than his classmates at reading. It took some of the fun out of it.
My youngest faced a learning difference that kept his brain and hands from working together. Things that should make sense didn’t. This slowed down his reading development. By the time he got it, like his brother, it had lost some of its magic. It takes a book that really captures their interest to coax either of them into reading for pleasure. My middle son has found a few. My youngest would rather watch the movie.
It would be great if one day my children all turned into readers. But whether it created superstar readers or not, I have sweet memories of our times reading together that I wouldn’t trade for anything. And I’ve learned God has given them their own unique ways of expression. My middle son, though he wouldn’t claim it, is an artist. The things he can convey with pen and paper rivals any written story. And his younger brother? He’s a natural story teller. You just have to record his with a video camera instead of a keyboard.
Two poets, an artist, and a story-teller. Maybe all those stories we shared had a positive effect after all.
About Faith’s Journey
Sometimes it’s the unexpected path that leads you on your journey back to faith.
Katie McGowan left her parents and their faith behind years ago. However, when faced with a devastating betrayal, Katie is ready to go back to Carbondale, Illinois to help her elderly parents despite their tempestuous relationship. Drained by the constant friction, Katie finds emotional support and encouragement in Austin. His practical, simple faith speaks to Katie, and she finds herself yearning for a new connection to God. As their friendship grows, so does the attraction between Katie and Austin.
Before her fledgling faith and thoughts of romance have a chance to take root, Katie’s cheating fiancé returns, remorseful and promising change. Can her tentative faith strengthen their past love? And if her heart breaks again, will Katie’s journey to faith end before it has really begun?
About Heather:
Heather Greer grew up as a pastor’s kid in rural southern Illinois. Though completely unexpected, she became a pastor’s wife thirteen years ago, when her husband answered the call to preach. Heather has had the opportunity to minister to all age groups, but teens and women tend to be where God most often leads her. When she isn’t writing or working with various ministries, Heather loves to bake and spend time with her husband, children, and grandson. Of course, she’s always willing to sit down with a cup of cocoa and watch the latest Hallmark channel movie too!
Connect with Heather!
Website and blog: www.heathergreer.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherGreer
Twitter: @Heather_Greer1
Instagram: 1heather.greer
Watch for a review of Heather’s book in a few weeks!
Leave a Reply