Snuggles and Stories

You will hear from time to time me talk about Snuggles and Stories. That is our families way of saying it is time to snuggle with Mommy or who ever might be reading the stories, and settling down for bed. I know my kids and most of the children I have done child care for have really enjoyed these times, and some still remember these moments. You would be surprised at how many people do not read to their kids, let alone snuggle with them. For me this is a must and something I enjoyed with my Father growing up. I know some of the kids I did child care for didn't even have a book to call their own, and quite often got their first book from me as a gift.

I remember reading to one particular little girl and she told me she wished I was her Mommy because I took time to do things with her. It brought tears to my eyes, but of course this little girl did not understand that her Mommy had to work to be able to take care of her. It wouldn't be the first time I would hear this, that is why when I had kids I read and snuggled with them too. Now I won't lie and say we do it every night. There are days that there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done, or we run super late and have to rush the kids off to be. They always get their hugs and kisses, but sometimes they don't always get the full Snuggles and Stories experience.

As 2011 was coming to an end I wanted to instill in our family that Snuggles and Stories were very important and so far they have had them every night, and they seem to be sleeping better. If you are reading this feeling guilty, don't just grab a book, your child, and snuggle for a while. Once you feel how good you both feel you will find yourself looking forward to these times together. Remember kids grow up and once they reach the teen years they don't want to snuggle and read with you anymore. I want to instill in my children the love and closeness I felt with my Father, so they can pass it on to their children.

Happy reading everyone.