Comfort Counts

After the NSA meeting I blogged about last time, I got to speak one on one with Mark Eaton (the former 7'4" Utah Jazz basketball star.) It is so strange standing next to someone of that height. I wanted to talk to him, but I was a bit star struck and didn't know what to say intelligently. So, what did I do, probably what 95%of people talk to him about, his size. Afterwards, I thought, "That's probably that last thing in the world he wants to talk about!" But it had just occurred to me how very uncomfortable it would be to have to sit in normal-sized chairs for someone with such long legs from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a few breaks in between. So, I asked him if it was difficult to sit on such small chairs for so long, and he said that it was okay, but that he did have to get up and stand sometimes. I said, "Yeah, it would be like me sitting in my little grandchildren's chairs." Driving home, I thought, "It would be great if someone could custom make folding camp chairs for really tall people that they could easily take with them to day-long events." (Somebody probably has somewhere.)

Well, as you are reading with your child, think about their comfort - them being small in your big world. When kids are just playing with learning the alphabet and numbers, they can relax on the couch, or sit on the floor, whatever they are most comfortable doing. But when it comes time to start reading, it's time for a little more structure; just because it's easier to lay the book on the table while using their finger to read with. It's harder to do that on their lap.

When a 4 or 5-year old sits on a regular chair at a regular table, they are seated way too low to make reading comfortable. They need to be up higher so it is easier for them to both see and follow along with their finger. With my 5-year old granddaughter, we tried the baby's booster seat, and as Goldilocks would say, "It was just right!" It made a huge difference. Also, by sitting at the table, it seemed to help her to concentrate better. Even though other kids were still running around, it was much better than being on the couch with them running around right in front of her.

No booster seat? Try a stool to the table or a stack of big books. When my students read at my house, I pull the piano bench over in front of the couch and it works great!

Comfort really does count. Children, like the rest of us, perform much better when they are comfortable.

Doreese