The Series of Lauren as a Reader

As I reelect back on what kind of reader I was and currently am the one phase that comes to mind is hate, love relationship. There were many years that went by and I hated touching books and refused to read but then there was plenty of times I could not put the book down.

The first time that I have memory of loving a book was when I was 6 and the only reason, I know about this is because I say a video about it. We were in the hospital waiting to see what was going to happen with my little sister. My aunt was my caregiver at that time as my parents needed to have full attention at the hospital. Well, I was very into my prince Disney book that I had brought it to the hospital. I would walk around and show other family members that were at the hospital with us. It even got to the point of me asking if they wanted me to tell them a story. I would retell the Cinderella story from what I would remember from my aunt reading it to me. Obviously, it wasn’t the same but honestly, I was pretty close I think that I hear that book so many times that I practically knew the story.

Another memory that comes into my mind was when my great grandma would tell me stories. We would be cooking together in the kitchen and she would just start talking about the recipe we were using. I remember learning so much of what she went through as child on a working farm. I could never understand how she remember all the recipes she did but because she was raised to cook and clean it made sense. I was so blessed to have those stories told to me and I can wait to pass them down.

Another family member that would tell me stories of their past was my father’s dad. He served in the war and would tell funny, sad, scary stories about the war. He didn’t hold anything back he told us how it actually was and didn’t leave anything out. The best story he told me was that him and some of his buddies were board at camp. They thought they would practice duck hunting well then, a huge jet flew over and started shooting at them thinking they were under attack. He had so much passion and memory behind that story that I was so invested in the story. I think about that and what could have happened and how lucky he was to be able to tell that story.

Flipping side to when I was giving a book by a teacher and I had no cares in the world to read it. We would always have these small book clubs and I absolutely hated them. I was told to read a book and be prepared to share with my book club group. We would have to read so many pages and have to take so many notes along the way and I was just not having it. The books were always a general that I hated and could not relate enough to.

Another example of my hate relationship would be when I had to start reading textbook, I hated having to read them and never understood the point behind that heavy book. We would have to read about content, and I remember never understanding the book. I was much more of a hand on learner and having to read was not a great way for me to learn. I think that if the books were more interactive, I would have been all over them and actually enjoyed them. The best part of a textbook was the covers that you could put on the cover. I would have so many different cover sleeves in my bag and I would switch them out so many times. That’s the only way I was very excited about the book. It is funny to think that I had such a hate back then and now I am forces to read textbooks and I actually don’t mind or care. I think it has to do a lot with what the book was trying to teach.

Back to my love of books I remember being in a reading class at college and my professor was amazing on how many books I was reading. She had actually asked what kind of

reader I and she am didn’t believe me when I said hate love relationship. I think the shock was because I had read about 10 books in the course when the minimum was 4. I tried to explain to here though that it makes a huge difference when it’s a book that I pick vs a book a teacher or state is making us read. She later on caught me in the hallway one day and I got to catch up with her. The funniest part of the conversation was when she asked me if I would read some books of the next break and tell her what books I enjoyed and which ones I did not enjoy. She emailed me a list and I was able to look through them and choose a few and read them. I was surprised that I actually liked most of them, but I think she put this list together based on the books I had already read in her class.

When I am at work, I do a childcare program so they can just play and make choose in the room. I love to do one on one with kids that want to read a book and that’s when we have the most interesting conversations and learn the most. You can tell if they are interested in the book that they picked by some of the first questions that I ask. I love when they take their knowledge and teach their friends and read to them.

In conclusion, I was the type of reader that had a huge hate love relationship with reading. I do think that it has for sure blossomed and became a real reader and I am so proud of myself for that concept. Reading is a strategy that can be taught or learned by anyone. I am very shocked how different I am each day. The best aspect is being aware of what kind of reader you are so you can prepare for the future of reading.