Troy Amaker’s parents describe him as a fact-finder, and reading has become a natural extension of that; a way to learn more about his interests and the world around him.
Troy, now 7, has been interested in nature since he was very young, said his dad, also named Troy Amaker. What started as digging for worms in the backyard has evolved into a deeper interest and more involved activities, from taking greenway walks to spot and identify bugs to setting up habitats for everything from frogs to snakes. They research whatever they don’t know, Amaker said, either in books or online articles.
“We’re always reading about that stuff,” he said with a laugh.
Amaker and Troy’s mom, Tara Benson, said they generally follow Troy’s lead when it comes to reading, letting him choose books he’s interested in.
“I just go with his flow,” Benson said. “He’s interested in something, so we’ll read it together.”
Amaker recently attended a Read Together workshop at the Pineville library branch, and said one of his biggest takeaways was encouraging book choice. In answer to a few parents’ questions about choosing the right books, the facilitator emphasized letting kids follow their interests, and helping them with the reading if it’s above their level.
“Once I heard that, it was like, OK, whatever he wants to pick up, that’s what we’ll read,” Amaker said.
Another idea from the event that resonated with Amaker was continuing to read with kids even after they’re able to read on their own. He changed their routine to include more of that, and said he’s seen a big difference in Troy’s reading skills.
“Our routine is now he reads one side, I read the other, so we alternate pages. And I talk with him about his flow, how he reads, how he stops at punctuation. And he’s hearing my flow, and how I pause when there’s certain exclamation points, or get excited,” Amaker said. “He just caught on. Now, it’s almost like overnight how his flow improved.”
Amaker and Benson co-parent Troy, so he spends time in both households. While his day-to-day reading routine differs from one house to the other, the emphasis on the importance of reading doesn’t. Amaker and Benson both look at reading time as a way to build Troy’s literacy skills, and to bond with him. Benson said the opportunity for one-on-one time is particularly special in her busy house, where her daughters and granddaughter also live.
“You know, Troy is my baby,” she said. “It might only be 10 minutes sometimes, but that means a lot in a household with multiple people. So that’s our one-on-one time.”
It’s also time that’s been a source of comfort and calm for Troy, his parents said.
“When he became older, he went through that phase of wanting us to live together,” Benson said. “That time was more of a focus period when he was very aware of our separation, although we’ve been separated a long time. At that point, when he was having more difficulty with it, reading was part of our soothing regimen of book, bath, talk.”
Reading offers connection, whether it’s with each other or the wider world, Benson said.
“I think it helps with a connection to people and understanding different people, places, and things,” she said. “I think it’s a blessing for him, especially right now, because of all this screen time that our children have, and how much everybody’s on the run. It’s beautiful and I hope it carries on with him. When you’re reading, your brain is right there, focused, and you have a break from everything else.”
Amaker and Benson hope the foundation they’re building leads to a lifelong love of reading and learning for Troy. Already, they see how it translates into his experience at school: He enjoys it and feels confident, and was recently proud to share with his parents and his principal that he’s reading above grade level.
