Voice of Muscatine Feature – March 2016

Brush, Book, Bed, Muscatine, IA

“On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, ‘Life will never be the same.’”

One may recognize these words from the children’s book On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman.  This book holds a special place in my heart as it was read frequently to our newborn daughter during her stay at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

On the Night You Were Born brought joy and comfort to my wife and me as well as our daughter, Lydia. Today Lydia is doing wonderfully, which we credit to the doctors and nurses who cared for her during her stay.

The tradition of reading the book to Lydia has continued at home and her book collection continues to grow!

I believe books play an important role in children’s development. Because of my passion for reading, I have partnered with community organizations to promote Brush, Book, Bed, a program of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The program encourages a bedtime routine of brushing your child’s teeth, reading them a story, and putting them to bed. These three steps will help with prevention of cavities, encourage early literacy, and establish structure.  I hope you to take part in Brush, Book, Bed starting tonight when putting your child to sleep.