My 2 1/2 year old son’s motto in life seems to be, “Full Speed Ahead!” at every moment. He is a boy with  loads of energy, enthusiasm, and passion. He loves to have fun, and sometimes gets himself into quite a pickle doing so. Needless to say, when I sat down with him to read, “First Virtues- 12 Stories for Toddlers” by Dr. Mary Manz Simon I didn’t have high expectations he would pay much attention.

I have to tell you, he was hooked by the first page! In fact, I was able to read the first 4 1/2 stories to him before he was ready to get down. I believe what kept his attention the most were the animals in the stories. He loves animals, and enjoyed seeing them interact with each other.

After he hopped off the couch, I continued reading the book. I was personally struck by the, “Parent Connection” section that appeared after each different virtue represented through a different animal. These sections give parents small bits of practical advice on how to implement virtues such as kindness, patience, politeness, and thankfulness. It is so helpful for me, as a parents of toddlers, to read advice like, “Let him (the toddler) watch a timer while he’s waiting for his bread to toast” in order to show him what patience looks like. I love stuff like that- so helpful!

This book has been wonderful for my son and me as we navigate this journey of learning and growing together!