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Am I reading with my baby too soon? (Spoiler alert: No. Never.) A parent recently reached out with this very question, noting that her infant often seems more focused on her during reading time than on the books themselves. Perhaps she was just introducing them too early? In reality, it’s never too early. But it’s also important to realize that, in the earliest months of life, the goal of reading isn’t about your child attending to the text - or even to the illustrations. Reading with your infant is a social activity. It is an opportunity for bonding. It’s an opportunity to expose your little one to rich and varied vocabulary. If your baby spends the whole time looking at you, that’s just fine. In fact, it’s beneficial. As you read, your baby is attuned to the way your mouth is making all these amazing sounds. Watch this little one closely. Her eyes rarely leave big brother’s face. I can’t say with certainty that she even glances at the book itself. But we’d be hard pressed to suggest she isn’t eating the experience up! She knows from repeated readings that this particular book (“Moo, Baa, La-la-la!” by @SandyBoynton - who is, BTW, the patron saint of board books) is filled with new and unusual sounds - which she anticipates (and delights in) on every page. In time she’ll begin attuning to the book. To how its pages work. To its colorful illustrations. And eventually to the strange marks on the page that seem to hold meaning. But for now, savoring the experience with her brother is plenty. And hugely beneficial to her developing brain. It’s never too early. This literate brother-sister duo was shared to TT by nguyetanhbuu.