Every night we read Isaac two stories before bed. One of the books that he took a liking to is Peggy Rathmann’s Good Night, Gorilla.
Then, for Christmas, Erin’s mom got us a pack of DVDs from Scholastic Books. In it was a DVD of one very popular book around this house, Good Night, Gorilla. So while we don’t really let Isaac watch TV much (and he doesn’t exactly love it), a few weeks ago we put in the movie and let him watch it.
Let’s just say it was a hit.
Now at least 10 times a day he’ll walk by the TV or couch and say “Oh-rill-ruh” in an attempt to get us to put the movie on. It’s really cute and he tends to do it a LOT more when Erin’s home. I think it’s because the first few times he watched it were with her and I wasn’t there so he associates her with it (or maybe she’s the easier mark?). It’s gotten to the point we have to tell him he has to wait until after dinner and once he gets his jammies on. Then we have to tell him he only gets to watch it once. It’s a daily ritual.
It’s a really simple story where a tired zoo keeper walks around the zoo telling all the animals good night. The gorilla steals the keys and lets the animals out behind him. Then they go crash at the zoo keepers house, get caught and his wife takes them back to the zoo. The gorilla sneaks back in with the mouse and crash out between the zoo keeper and his wife. The animals that are let out are: gorilla, elephant, lion, giraffe, hyena and an armadillo.
I tell you that story to tell you the application in real life.
Yesterday we were at the zoo and were walking around checking out all the animals. We go to the giraffe exhibit and this happens:
He pointed straight at them and said, “Night, night.”
Damn he’s cute.
Ha! Landon loved that book around the same age. I didn’t know there was a movie! Something fun to do is look for the balloon in each picture
He even reviewed it! http://www.mannlymama.com/2010/12/landons-book-of-the-week-goodnight-gorilla/
2 out of 5 cheerios? What an outrage!!! I demand a recount!!!
While Isaac loves him the gorilla most of all, the hyena has become a fast secondary favorite. Except he doesn’t say the “Hy” part, only the “ena”. He also, like Landon, enjoys the “affe”.
We LOVE the scholastic DVDs, if you didn’t get the full set (and there is a second one), then put it in your wishlist and wait for it to go on sale. So many of the good books are on there, plus you have the words on the screen and my kiddos eat it up!
Enjoy the “cute” before he becomes a teen!
Hope you can join #DadChat tonight where we’ll be discussing SoMe and our kids and the dad who SHOT his daughter’s computer after her incredibly insulting post on Facebook!
Books are so necessary for kids. In my journey in understandind how to be a father I have learned that taking just 10 minutes per night to read to my kids will provide a lifetime of benefit. Its not different than exercising and a great part in being a dad.
We read two stories every night before bed. He also tends to flip through some books during the day and I’ll read to him if he asks (which he does sometimes).
It is absolutely essential, it teaches them a love for something that is useful (and imperative) for your entire life.