Thread: Rediscovering Dr Seuss

When I was growing up some well intentioned person told my parents that if you read to your kids they will get lazy and never learn how to read themselves. My parents tried this with me and consequently I learned to read when I was about ten years old. So I missed out on the Dr. Seuss books. All I knew of them was that they were children's books and not for teenagers.

But now that my wife is pregnant I have been ending each day with a story time. I don't know if there are actually any benefits to reading to an unborn baby, but it is fun and relaxing for my wife and I. This will also get us in the habit of reading stories to our kid.

So anyway, my wife downloaded some children's story books to her ipad. Most children's story books are rather dull and boring, so I downloaded some Dr. Seuss books. Fox in Socks has become my favorite (who wouldn't love learning about the habits of tweetle beetles?), while my wife loves Green Eggs and Ham.

I know most people here are into high brow stuff, but does anyone else like Dr. Seuss?

Definately! So many bizarre and tongue twisted tales.
Enjoyed them as a child and again reading to my own children.

I think it is a general rule that if you don't like Dr. Seuss, you have no soul.

Who says that Dr. Seuss isn't highbrow?!?!?!

Dr. Seuss is quite possibly one of the best things about having a child..oh, wait; my wife is a member.

I'm the Cat in the Hat, (of sorts)

go dog go was my favorite dr seuss book i belive that talking to your baby is a great thing to do when my wife was pregnant i talked to my baby all the time i would talk close to her stomach so the baby could hear or feel me talking. my wife would say the baby would be doing flips when i would talk to her when the baby arrived me and my daughter had an instant bond it was like she knew who i was

"Fox in Socks" is one of my favorites. My tongue has gone numb trying to read that aloud to my 11 month old son. You should check out "Thidwick the Big Hearted Moose." It's a fun read with a dark and slightly disturbing ending.

ndw76,

+1 to Green Eggs & Ham; my son really liked that story when he was young

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Congrats on the little one on the way. Based on the fact that you are reading to the babe already, I am sure you will be a great father! There is even a book for in-utero little ones that is a compilation of Dr. Seuss works. I think the name is, "Baby O Baby the Places You'll Go." Absolutely read to the little one throughout pregnancy and childhood. Dr. Seuss is also "highbrow" many of his later stories were a commentary on world events (Butter Side Up and Myrtle the Turtle). The silly and made up words force one to sound out the letters while the rhyming makes it possible to "translate" the word. Love the Dr. Seuss myself and so do the children.
God's Blessing on y'all and the little one.
P.S. I teach New Dad Bootcamp as a side job.

Originally Posted by ndw76

But now that my wife is pregnant I have been ending each day with a story time. I don't know if there are actually any benefits to reading to an unborn baby, but it is fun and relaxing for my wife and I. This will also get us in the habit of reading stories to our kid.

Yeah, various phonemes activate the musculo-skeletal system (different regions/muscles from different phonemes). Some interesting research on that. Helps prime them for linguistic development, methinks. But also for overall neural development. I saw parts of a program on babies in the womb, with tiny video with a light source (you can fit just about anything in there, female genitalia is amazing (I shoulda been a gynecologist)), they are very conscious, have expressions, twins grasp each other's hands, etc. One of the stupidest things I've heard is the explaining away of a newborn's smile and joy as "gas". Medical filth. You're probably boosting your child's development in as-yet-undocumented ways.