

Books as a legacy: passing on the passion for reading to my daughters
07 June, 2024 • Par David Bessette
I am the father of three daughters who I find admirable and one of the things I am super proud of is having made them readers.
Because it’s a huge advantage in life! Empathy, imagination, mental health, openness to the world, communication skills… People who love books and immerse themselves in them often nourish all of this, and more!
It's not rocket science, the recipe for our children to become readers is to read with them . From the time they are very young, we introduce them to books and tell them stories every day. And when they grow up, we continue to do it!
All young children love it. Sometimes we lose them later. After all, reading requires more effort than a video game and unfortunately school has unintentionally stifled the pleasure of reading. What do we do at that time? Well, we do what we did when they were young: we read aloud to them. You'll see, they'll like it!
Yes, it can be a challenge sometimes. I don't always feel like reading a story to my daughters either, but I know it's worth the effort a thousand times over. Sometimes the characters' voices are less hot because I have less energy, but at least I'm there with a book in my hands.
I say that, but the vast majority of the time, I'm super happy to cuddle up to them and read to them. Because those are magical moments; the kind that leave their mark forever.
My older ones read on their own now. But sometimes, they still ask me for a moment to read. We read a few pages of novels, we tackle a book where we are the hero, we reflect on a personal growth book for teenagers… There is no bad formula because it is their choice.
We make memories; my presence shows them that I love them. It's their moment... and mine too, in the end.
As dads, we feel the need to protect our children, but we know that we won't always be able to do so. By passing on the habit of reading to them, we give them the gift of shelters, tools and skills that will accompany them everywhere, all the time.
Would you like to discover other columns by David Bessette, teacher? It's here !