What Happens When #DadsRead

One of the first posts I wrote when I started this blog was this one, about the power of a reading dad. In that post, I wrote that "not only do kids need to see us read, they need to hear it and be surrounded by it, in an environment that establishes the importance of reading in everyday life, not just for school or because we have to." After all, we can only tell our kids so much, but when we show them, when we model the behavior for them, our actions say more than our words ever can. 

That's especially critical for fathers of young sons, because of the pervasive idea that reading is somehow a behavior more suited for girls than boys. My husband and I met because of books, and some of the best moments in our marriage have come through the shared love of reading. One of the most important things that Hubs and I can give Sprout, in our estimation, is a love of books - because in doing that, we're giving him the power to satisfy his naturally boundless curiosity. We don't see this as a boy-girl issue, but as an issue of opening up the world to Sprout. And what parent doesn't want to do that for their child?

I wrote, in that original post, of the bonding that took place between Sprout and Daddy during those early months at home. Those were special times, when Hubs rocked Sprout to sleep with a bottle and a stack of picture books. In those often-bumpy first days when our family was first starting out, the familiar rhythm of our own childhood favorites soothed us as parents as much as it did Sprout -- maybe more, if you consider that he didn't know the language yet. It cemented a ritual that we always knew we wanted to establish, even before the first round of adoption paperwork was begun: that of bedtime reading, time to cuddle up with a story and ease into rest and relaxation.

Three years later, I can say that the power of a reading dad has remained undiminished in our household. I absolutely credit my husband's love for literature with the fact that Sprout's enthusiasm for books has only grown. The kiddo is as quick to suggest a family trip to the library on a Saturday afternoon as I am -- while Mommy and Sprout check out the picture books, Daddy's amassing a stack of graphic novels, and we all leave with bookbags bursting. One of Sprout's favorite spots to visit is a local comic shop, where the boys play pinball and arcade games, then check out the racks for the new adventures of Spider-Man or Super Dinosaur. Some nights we read a chapter book at bedtime, other nights Sprout asks for a comic book (and that's usually Daddy's province, since nobody does the Scooby-Doo voice like Daddy!).

I'm so grateful that my husband loves to read and shares that with Sprout. But not all dads are fully aware of the importance of reading, so Zoobean and The Good Men Project have teamed up to promote the culture of reading dads. This is a great initiative and something that's very close to our hearts.

How can you help? Share your stories of what happens when dads read to and with their kids. Share your photos too - post them on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, and be sure to tag them #dadsread. And tonight, when your kiddos are putting on their pjs, pick out books to share some special #dadsread time together.

Zoobean - Last-Minute Gifting Problem-Solver

Hey peeps! It's been a bit quiet here on the blog this week as Hubs & I have been scrambling to get our holiday shopping done. Usually I'm way ahead of the curve, but this year, between vacation, work and a germ-infested kiddo, we've fallen behind. I'm sure more than a few of you can relate.

If you know me IRL, you probably know that I spent several years working in retail, bookstores to be exact. This was always the point in the holiday season when my coworkers and I started to feel the pinch -- it's too late to order anything, the shelves are starting to get bare, yet shoppers still cling to the desperate notion that they'll find *exactly* what they want. It's tough.I can totally understand what those frantic folks are feeling, because no one wants to admit that it's too late to find that perfect present. But sometimes you have to realize that the ship has sailed, and make the best of the situation.

Many people in that situation succumb to the ease of the gift card. And while that's a fine solution, I have another idea for you this year. Zoobean is a subscription-based book service that's a definite win-win. Each book in their library is curated by parents who also happen to be kidlit experts -- yours truly being one of the folks honored to be a Zoobean curator. I can honestly say that their library is the best of the best. All the picture books I curate are field-tested first by Sprout and myself, and I only share with Zoobean the ones that pass his stringent test. (You'll recognize several from our reviews here on the blog.) Zoobean curators know how to sift through the dross to find the best books out there, the ones your kids will return to again and again.

I was drawn to Zoobean because of their focus on multicultural and diverse titles. And I'm thrilled to see how their library has grown, and how many truly amazing multicultural books they've featured. New subscribers fill out a profile that helps Zoobean customize a subscription just for the child in question. Let me tell you, these folks work HARD to ensure that the books they pick meet each child's needs and interests. I've had the opportunity to help select a few books for personalized subscriptions, and it's very gratifying to hear later that the titles we chose lit up a child's eyes!

You're in the drivers' seat when it comes to a Zoobean subscription. Choose your binding (hardcover or paperback), as well as how often you'd like the books to arrive -- from a one-time gift to a years' worth of yummy literary goodness. Featured books are also accompanied by a reading guide packed with awesome. And Zoobean also recently launched their apps feature, so parents can get help picking out the best of the best in the app world as well.

The Zoobean folks have graciously offered a special discount for Sprout's Bookshelf readers. Make a purchase at Zoobean through 12/31/13 and take $5 off your purchase -- just use code MaryKHoliday to redeem. Give the gift of reading to a kid in your life and save money too?? What's better than that?!

Regular readers will know that I won't recommend anything to you that I don't believe in myself, and Zoobean is a great example of that. For all those who've realized they forgot stocking stuffers, or would just rather stay home in their pjs than head to the mall this weekend -- Zoobean can be the perfect solution to your last-minute gifting crisis. And it's a great way to extend the holiday fun well beyond when the last gift is unwrapped!