Reading is Fundamental!

Our nanny, Clare, started last week. I have some trouble with effective management, and this is a new employee situation that I struggle with what the dynamic should be like. I mentioned to her that I want her to read to Clyde, and showed her the books. A couple of days passed with no reading (I've been here observing them, but kind of from a distance, and leaving for a few hours at a time), and I was feeling bummed and didn't know how to say, "You MUST read to her," without sounding like a dictator, and I do have trouble with direct communication, and sugar coating things.

After discussing with Ingrid, this morning, I said to Clare, "I know I said this before, but it bears repeating because it's so important to us. We want Clyde to be a good reader and to love reading, so I want you to try to read her at least a book a day." (Keep in mind her books take about 45 seconds to read.) "And I need to know you are doing this when I'm not here, so I'd like you to try to read to her today and tomorrow while I'm here so I can visualize you doing it and not have to worry about it."

This afternoon, she read her two books and is down on the floor, and Clyde is smiling a ton, in response.

For what it's worth...