The Most Important Thing I Do With Tiger

Tiger and I do many important things together.

We have CUDDLES.

We eat SANDWICHES.

We play with GRASS.

We go for SUNSHINEY WALKS.

We have ROLY POLIES.

Yesterday, we spent a full half hour WATCHING A GRASSHOPPER.

But the most important thing I do with Tiger is ...

We read BOOKS.

LOTS of books! Every day, Tiger and I read at least five or six of them. We read Tiger's favourites every day - like Alison Lester's Growl Like A Tiger and Emily Gravett's Orange Apple Pear Bear. And then we cycle through some of our other loved titles, like Possum Magic, The Children Who Loved Books (the image above is from that beautiful story) and Grandpa Green and the picture book of Bob Dylan's Forever Young (which Tiger finds HILARIOUS. No, I do not know why).

Every day, before every nap, we also read The Sweet Dreams Book. 

Daddy and I no longer need the book as we know all the words.

Some of the books make Tiger laugh. Some make her calm and pensive. All of them are very important in our relationship. Sharing my love of reading with her is the most beautiful part of our relationship. 

I hope that, when she is older, we can continue to share this passion, as I do with my parents.

But for now, it's just the most glorious part of my day, snuggling with her on the couch and telling the stories of Hush and Grandma Poss, of Hairy MacLary, of the hippo who just loves eating cake.

And of course, it is very important that Tiger is in clean clothes*, has her nappy changed and is fed good food, but I like to think that, when I read with her, I'm feeding her soul and imagination as well. And isn't that just as important.

What about you? What is the most important thing you do with your child?

PS Here is Tiger with her favourite book. Isn't she lovely? 

~ Love, Miss Cackle x

* Tiger ALMOST always has clean clothes. Except after a play in the garden or eating a banana sandwich.