Magical moments with books

Mama, read a book, read a book", is what my youngest child Benjamin would say every time I put him down on the potty or on his bed. My children love books. You’ll see books everywhere in our house. In the banyo, near our beds, on the floor, in their shelves, in the living room, in our car, etc. Books are part of our lives. We have a wide assortment of books on different topics. I love to read books on parenting, spirituality, womanhood, organization, cooking, etc. Anthony has a variety of books on management, interior design, manhood, marriage builders, etc. Tons of magazines and newspapers in their latest editions are found everywhere for easy reach and easy reading. I regularly supply our helpers with books and pamphlets to keep them busy during their break tim. Reading has become, for all of us, a way of life. Where The Passion Began I don’t recall being read to as a child. I don’t remember owning books either. Instead, I vividly remember spending most of my waking hours up a tree, on the streets playing piko, cops and robbers, patintero ( I was regarded as the unbeatable patotot), and tumbang preso to name a few. I do remember though that every night, before going to sleep, my grandmother (who practically raised me and who I fondly call Mamang) would tell me all sorts of interesting stories about her childhood years, life during the World War II, Filipino myths, legends, folklore and tales of our heroes. I looked forward to those times because her stories not only had a calming effect on my super hyper personality, they also allowed me to enter worlds that were adventurous and exciting, and sometimes, frightening. She told her stories with passion while caressing my hair and patting the side of my bottom. I acquired a wealth of knowledge through those moments. I deeply cherish them.

At the start of my teen years, my life changed dramatically (from the life of the streets to that confined at home) when my mom gave in to my brother’s wish to have an Atari set. All of a sudden, the three of us (my brother Melvin, cousin Rich, who lived with us, and I) were homebodies and zombies. We would spend hours perfecting games and would even fight for the right to use it. That’s when I became a TV addict.

The longest time I remember being glued to our TV was 18 hours. That was when mom and I started fighting because I started to have migraines and became sluggish. She also sensed I was slow to pick up lessons in school. My mom told me that if I wanted to be somebody one day, I would have to spend my time doing more productive things like reading. She gave me money to buy all the books that interested me. Instantly, I became a bookworm. The first set of books I laid my hands on were the Sweet Dreams series and then Nancy Drew, the Bible, the classics, etc. My love for reading continued on to my adult years when I read just about anything. Getting Serious With Reading Twelve years ago, when I met Anthony, he challenged me to seriously consider my relationship with God. I took his challenge and renewed my commitment to Christ as Lord and Savior. Because I had been distant from the foundations of my faith, I realized that I needed to do research about it so that I could have a basis for it. That was when I acquired tons of books on a weekly basis. Because they were truly inspiring books, I decided to buy extra copies for my friends. I realized that I was spending a fortune on books that I joked Anthony about opening a Christian bookstore. He took me seriously and together, we broached the idea to his sister Angeli and her husband Gary (Valenciano). They loved it and before we knew it, we opened our first branch of The Master’s Library at Robinson’s Galleria. Today, we have three branches. We are not confined to distributing books in our stores, we also give talks and seminars. Through our bookstore, we are able to continue our love for reading by acquainting ourselves with the books we offer to others. We are committed to making sure our customers read quality materials.

As a columnist, I make sure I am exposed to the latest researches about the family because I want to share with my readers more than just my experiences. Since I am also asked to speak on a variety of subjects and conduct seminars on parenting, womanhood, etc., I constantly arm myself with tools to make myself an effective trainer/speaker. My love for reading has helped me immensely in reaching out to my readers/audience because I pass on to them what I learn from others as well. Passing The Legacy To Our Children It takes a greater amount of time and effort on my part to fill in my children’s waking hours. Technology has gotten kids hooked on the computer, the television set, etc., Anthony and I try our best to develop in our children the love for the simple joys in life. I believe that the simple joys we experienced growing up can still be appreciated by our children. Thus, we give them a lot of our time (hugs, kisses, undivided attention when they need it), regular encounters with the outdoors, a more or less consistent set of routines every day, lots of toys they enjoy playing with, arts and crafts materials, do-nothing time, and the chance to conquer new worlds and galaxies. We are able to do them through the help of books and never-ending stories told before bedtime – and yes, tales of our youth, life during the Edsa revolutions, Filipino myths, legends, folklore and tales of our heroes. I’m excited to see how they’ll turn out because of such magical moments. Great Reads For Young Minds Here’s a partial list of books that are on my reading pile. I’m currently reading them to my kids and myself. Maybe you can grab some of these yourself. Most of them are found in National Book Store and Goodwill bookstore. The books for parents are sourced mainly from The Master’s Library (687-2147/435-4281). English Harold’s Purple Crayon, The Blue Parcel, StellaLuna, Five Minutes Peace, Robert Muncsh Books, The Very Busy Spider,The Giving Tree, Hope for the Flowers, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Tagalog Hits Yaya Niya, Nanay Ko, Ngii! Ang Kati-kati ng Ulo ko!, Ang Batang Ayaw Maligo, Si Darna ang Nanay Ko, Sandosenang Kuya, Sandosenang Sapatos, Uuwi na ang Nanay Kong Si Darna, Ang Madyik Silya ni Titoy, Bruha-ha-ha-ha Bru-hi-hi-hi-hi….Lolit Lamok, Chenelyn, Chenelyn!. For Parents Wild at Heart, Parenting with Love and Logic, Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Potential, Five Love Languages, MommyTalk, Shepherding Your Child’s Heart, Keep the Siblings, Loose the Rivalry, Bringing Up Boys, The Happy Family, Heroes, Purpose-Driven Life, WeatherProof Your Heart, Jim Trelease’s Read Aloud Handbook <

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E-mail me at mommytalk@businessworks.com.ph