(32/Final) The 'To-Be-Read' Pile from Age 5 Was the Shortest Route to a 'Child Who Reads' - To the Mom I Met 10 Years Ago -

This is my final letter to you.

Well, Shiori-san.
For the past 10 years, I have been raising my children from the perspective of a book lover.

How should children encounter books, how should they spend time with them, and what is the best environment for a child to feel in their own heart that 'reading is fun!'...

...I think that is how I have been raising my children.

--That might be thanks to you, Shiori-san.

'Actually, I didn't grow up reading much, but I want my own children to love books'...those words from 10 years ago.

Thank you for sharing your honest feelings.
Thanks to you, I was able to embrace a way of thinking and living: raising children from the perspective of a book lover.

I will finally summarize the message I wanted to convey back then that I found over these 10 years.
It is a very simple message.

~To the Mom I Met 10 Years Ago~

To make your child love books, first keep books in the house.
Books they read, books they might not read,
books they might have outgrown, books that might be a little too advanced for their age,
put them all together in front of them...a bookshelf or a 'to-be-read' pile is fine too.

Keep them in front of the child and accessible at all times.
Children start reading unexpected books at unexpected times. And

let them have the experience of 'reading a book and finding it interesting'.
As for when to start,
'around the time they graduate from being read to' or 'around the time they learn hiragana.'
As for what to collect,
please try 'books that are mostly text (children's books)' or 'genres the child likes.'

Once they have the experience of 'reading is fun,' they become children who think. And
help them learn to choose 'books they find interesting' for themselves, and furthermore,
I want you to buy and keep at home the books that the child finds interesting.

If possible, 'books that are mostly text' are best, but
it is okay to start with many illustrations.
Let them have the 'experience of reading text' by relying on the illustrations.

First, give them the foundation of 'being absorbed in reading,' and try adding digital later.
Once they know what it is to be 'absorbed in reading,' the child's world changes.

Reading is not a 'special ability or hobby for special children'.
It is not that children who like literature are moved by stories,
nor is it a hobby only for indoor types or smart children.
It's just 'habit', and just by knowing that, most children
can acquire the 'drawer for reading.'

No matter how active a child is, they have time to relax at home.
The world of books covers every genre.
The experience of reading is something anyone can do.

If you experience 'being absorbed in reading' during childhood,
you will become a person who can 'spend their free time reading'.

Just by whether or not books were close at hand during childhood,
it might even change how you live your life.

Whether reading makes you smart depends on the person.
--But, it makes it easier to become smart.

Whether reading makes you happy depends on the person.
--But, it makes it easier to find hints for happiness.

And what I can tell you, Shiori-san,
and my children with confidence is,
'a life where you can read is fun'.

A life where you can read is fun—truly.

--------------------------------------------------

Now, I will summarize the letters I have written so far by topic below.

If there is a topic you are interested in, I would be happy if you could read it again when you have time.

--This has become quite long.
This is the first time I have written such a long letter to one person. If we are talking about long letters, it is like Natsume Soseki's 'Kokoro.' Though the content is completely different...

I hope this reaches you.

And I dedicate this letter to my two daughters.
Because this is also a record of your growth.

What will the world be like in 10 years?
Will there be even fewer children who read books?
I hope there are more...

I don't know if you will become parents, but if you ever have the chance to pass on the joy of reading you experienced to the next generation, please use this letter as a reference, even if just a little.

--Well then, I look forward to the day we can meet again.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

■Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child'
~To the mom I met 10 years ago, to my past self, and to my two daughters~

(1) 'Living with a stack of books from around age 5'...What I felt when I met Shiori 10 years ago. A recommendation for living with a stack of books and bookshelves where books are already in the house and within reach.
→(1)Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(2) 'Children will take an interest just by having a bookshelf they can freely access'...Books are one of humanity's greatest forms of entertainment... The story of my second daughter, who naturally became a book lover without any parental struggle or guidance, thanks to a stack of books, without me having to push them excessively.
→(2) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(3) 'A stack of books is like a menu at a family restaurant'...You want to keep going to a restaurant with a rich menu... even if you don't eat everything. Similarly, the story of how a stack of books is appealing because it offers the freedom to choose, including books you might not (necessarily) read.
→(3) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(4) 'Don't turn off the reading switch once it's been turned on'...The sense of speed in being able to hand over the 'next book' before the child's interest cools down once they become interested in reading. The story of why it's important to have books in the house from the start.
→(4) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(5) 'What happened all at once when I showed videos to a child who loved picture books'...The story of how I regretted showing internet videos to my 5-year-old eldest daughter, who would make a huge fuss saying 'Video! Video!' every day, and how that became the trigger for me to start going to the library.
→(5) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(6) 'Organizing the order of encounters in a child's life''...A proposal to first make reading the foundation of a child's entertainment and thinking. Try thinking about it in the context of the child's entire life. Digital can come later; the order is what's important.
→(6) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(7) 'What kind of children's books do children think they can read?'...To build the successful experience of 'I read the text and it was interesting!', it's good to gradually graduate from picture books. What kind of children's books are easy to read?
→(7) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(8) 'How I explored my child's book preferences by using the library'...The story of finding out the genres and trends of books my child likes by 'borrowing 10 books from the library and doing a ranking & interview before returning them.' This was the beginning of everything for my eldest daughter's love of books.
→(8) Having a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'book-loving child' ~To the mom I met 10 years ago~ | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(9) 'What my encounter with detective "Milky Sugiyama" brought me'... - A story about my eldest daughter repeatedly experiencing the joy of "reading text and finding it interesting!" and encountering a book series that definitively helped her graduate from picture books. The point is that while she thought they were picture books, she was actually reading text.
→(9) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(10) 'A child who reads is awakening; if only I could hand them the next book while they're still excited...' - Tips for choosing the "next book" that steps up in text volume and content. A discussion on the importance of the child themselves becoming convinced that "books are fun." Also, an episode about my eldest daughter, who became a book lover at heart after reading through the entire "Harry Potter" series we had at home.
→(10) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(11) 'Without the child noticing, make the text in the books they read smaller'... - Choosing books that gradually step up, using the text balance of a "first-grade Japanese textbook" as a guide. A story about how, before you know it, they become able to read children's books with a format almost identical to standard novels.
→(11) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(12) 'Something as important as parental controls'... - Why does the parent-child relationship become strained over "nothing but games and videos"? A discussion on how, in reality, children might want to take a break from digital media if they had "other options."
→(12) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(13) 'What it means to "read" stories during a childhood that never returns - 1' - Reading text is a more active and mentally demanding act than one might think. A discussion on why I especially want children to "read" stories and novels.
→(13) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(14) 'What it means to "read" stories during a childhood that never returns - 2' - Reading about various ways of living and thinking through concrete episodes gives children simulated experiences and imagination. "Reading" is an act close to experiencing things for yourself, step by step, much like mountain climbing - a discussion on this.
→(14) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(15) 'Reading' stories during a childhood that never returns - Part 3...Reading long stories is learning logical thinking through text. Excellent stories contain 'essential solutions,' and I believe children also need essential questions... a discussion on this.
→(15) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(16) 'Reading' stories during a childhood that never returns - Part 4...Stories are packed with hints for overcoming difficulties and diverse ways of living. Humans aren't perfect, and that's okay... a discussion on receiving realizations and encouragement from books to avoid despair.
→(16) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(17) 'Gather books by fully utilizing the charm of libraries, new bookstores, and used bookstores'...By utilizing the features and charms of each to collect books, you can minimize the parent's feeling of waste from 'buying books that didn't get read' and maximize the child's excitement... a discussion on collecting books this way.
→(17) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(18) 'Encountering beautiful written language - Rereading The Little Prince -'...Publications are treasure chests of polished writing and language. If you read many such books, you naturally acquire vocabulary and expressive power... a discussion on this.
→(18) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(19) 'The reason I think learning to ride a bike and learning to read should happen at the same time in life'...It is best to learn with your body during a time when it's not about logic. Just like practicing riding a bike around the time of starting school, if you practice reading during childhood and provide them with 'what suits that child' just like a bike... a discussion on this.
→(19) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(20) 'When a child becomes a book lover, there is a famous book series involved'...If you want to provide 'books they can read with absorption' for a certain period, 'series books' are definitely recommended. When they get hooked, the struggle and failure of choosing books for both parent and child are drastically reduced, and the child's trust in books also increases... a discussion on this.
→(20) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(21) 'Reading tendencies solved the mystery from early childhood... This child is the XX type'
...My eldest daughter, who doesn't enjoy playing with blocks or drawing with free ideas, was actually a science-oriented analysis, reproduction, and information-gathering type... Reading gives hints for facing a child's individuality and heart... a discussion on this.→(21) Keeping a stack of books from around age 5 was the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(22) 'Things I found helpful as a parent once my child started loving books' ... Reading while waiting, the cost-effectiveness of children's books, avoiding scolding, getting help from books for difficult topics—a discussion on how a child's love for books supports smiles between parent and child, with no downsides.
→(22) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(23) 'Once they get off your lap, the child becomes the one who reads and the parent becomes the one who listens' ...What are the concrete steps to graduate from being read to and transition to a 'child who reads on their own'? A discussion on how, by taking it step by step, books can transform into something the child finds fun to read for themselves.
→(23) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(24) 'We cannot be happy with knowledge alone — Re-reading Flowers for Algernon —' ...Before a child is a vessel for knowledge and skills, they are a vessel for love. A discussion on wanting to remember the fundamental truth that knowledge and intelligence enter into a vessel of feeling and emotion.
→(24) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(25) 'Reading muscles are just like musical solfège' ...There are foundational skills for reading that are easier to acquire during childhood. A discussion on how having the brain habit of quickly organizing and visualizing information while reading text will make reading easier in the future.
→(25) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(26) 'Being able to be moved and discover things again and again in the same book — Re-reading Anne of Green Gables —' ...Reading isn't just about the number of books; how much you were moved by a single book is also important. A discussion on how wonderful it is to have books you can be moved by no matter how many times you read them, and that it's best to have your favorite books at home.
→(26) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(27) 'Books have been my blanket since childhood — Why I want sensitive people to read books —' ...I want HSPs and HSCs to read even more. A discussion on how many people who think deeply and feel easily appear in books, and how that empathy and resonance can heal the heart.
→(27) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(28) 'Because it is the age of AI, the amount of reading creates the child and the individual —' ...If everyone learns to master generative AI, won't we need to raise our own levels rather than things just getting easier? A discussion on how a wealth of reading supports a child's intelligence and creativity.
→(28) Books kept on hand since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'child who reads' — To the mom I met 10 years ago — | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(29) 'I asked my 6th-grade daughter about books, games, and videos, and she answered seriously'...What do book-loving children think about each of these?
What do they want from their parents? What are the feelings of children living in the present... a discussion on these topics.
→(29) Books left unread since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'book-reading child' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(30) 'I'd like to live in a library for a few days with my child'...A proposal (or fantasy) that if you step away from digital devices and live in a library for a few days, it might lead to some realizations for a child who doesn't have a reading habit.
→(30) Books left unread since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'book-reading child' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

(31) 'Things I decided as a parent NOT to do for the sake of a book-reading child'...
Specific things I was careful about, such as 'not letting them become a slave to games at an early stage' and 'not giving them a smartphone as a tool to kill time.' Looking at the child's life as a whole, these were just a few days in early childhood, and if I decided 'not to do it,' it was surprisingly doable... a discussion on this.
→(31) Books left unread since age 5 were the shortest route to raising a 'book-reading child' - To the mom I met 10 years ago - | Emi Suzuhara (note.com)

...That is all.

<Ten years of raising a book-loving child, I realized that 'what you have accumulated does not lie'>
<Paper books that have texture, smell, and take up space, existing like friends>

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