Today, my friend and former co-worker Chad stops by to guest blog for this month’s edition of Novel Novice Junior. Chad is a new dad, and the co-creator of the Dads Who Diaper website & podcast.
* * *
The Moment Reading Mattered to Me
by Chad Carter
I was not what you would call an avid reader growing up. Being I guess a “typical” boy, I spent more time outside running, playing, maybe even blowing up a few G.I. Joe’s from time to time. Books and reading weren’t necessarily on the forefront of my mind.
It’s funny because it turns out my career would depend on reading. As a former TV news anchor I spent the majority of my day reading information, stories, and Tele Prompters. More accurately my title should should have been “news reader.” I spent four and a half hours a day reading to a live audience on TV. I say this because I never gave much thought to the importance of reading. It was always just something I did.
Then I had a watershed moment in my life that has forever changed and shifted my beliefs on the importance of reading and sharing the love of reading.
I became a father.
Having a child has given me an entirely new perspective on the impact reading can have. There are countless studies highlighting the importance of starting to read to your child even as a newborn. According to a recent study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Reading regularly with young children stimulates optimal patterns of brain development and strengthens parent-child relationships at a critical time in child development, which, in turn, builds language, literacy, and social-emotional skills that last a lifetime.” What does that mean to me? It means as a parent it’s my job to help my child grow and develop as best they can. And it starts with reading.
As a new dad, I’m thankful for websites like Novel Novice and Novel Novice Junior. I may not be the best resource for reading material that suits him as he grows up, but the dedication of Sara and the team behind Novel Novice comes to my rescue. They give him a place to feel comfortable discovering the love of words on a page and importance of diving into a story to enrich his mind and life.
He will no doubt at times be a “typical” boy wanting to sprint outside to have fun. But as more research comes out on the importance of reading – even from a VERY early age – I look forward to developing a shared love of reading. Our nightly bedtime routine includes at least one board book a night. With a library of children’s books just waiting to be cracked open as he gets older.
Reading is a life long love. One I hope to get started early and become a passion for the rest of his life.
Chad Carter is the co-founder of dadswhodiaper.com a comprehensive website dedicated to providing dads with information, reviews, tips, forums, podcast, and parenting humor. He’s also a regular contributor to disneybaby.com writing about the joys and triumphs of parenthood.
Novel Novice 
Thanks for this sweet—and oh-so-true—post!