用阅读点亮未来

文:芬芳
上周是我家大娃八岁的生日。
该为孩子送上怎样的生日祝福?
真是个很为难我的问题。
祝你生日快乐?
祝你天天开心?
祝你学习进步?
我总是感觉这样的祝福,多多少少有些敷衍。

我有很多很多祝福想送给他,八年以来,很感谢他来到我的生命中,为我带来了初为人母的各种体验。
看着他会翻身了,会坐了,会爬了,会走了,会跑了,仿佛就是昨天那一幕幕的闪现。
而如今他已经八岁了,他已身处更广阔的世界中,未来就在他的脚下。我希望他能把未来的路走好,但怎样才能为他注入这样的力量?
直到我遇到了这本书——Celebrate you!
一只小小的企鹅过生日的绘本。
但绘本的文字通篇没有提到企鹅,只是用第二人称You来表达we父母对孩子的浓浓之爱。所以,如果只读文字的话,这是一首非常美的诗歌,记录了孩子出生成长的点点瞬间,也表达了父母对孩子未来的深深祝福。
Celebrate you!
By Sherri Duskey Rinker
On this special occasion,
We're just so filled with pride,
And we're thrilled, and we're grateful,
To be on your side!
So we'll pause for a moment
To look back and ahead,
To say a few things about you
That just NEED to be said!
We're wowed!
We're amazed by all you can do,
And by all the challenges you've gotten through…
You're strong and you're tough, 
and yet kindhearted, too.
Let's sing it; let's yell it! 
Let's celebrate YOU!
Strong will and hard work
Have led you this way.
You've chased all your dreams…
Look where you are today!
We can hardly believe it--
You've just come so far.
We're amazed at what
A strong person you are!
First you crawled,
Then you walked,
Then you ran--
Now you fly!
Nothing can stop you
when you aim for the sky!
You were once very small,
But you grew and you grew.
You grew wise and you learned.
To yourself you've been true.
So today is the day--with a joyful Hooray!-
Today is the day that we celebrate you!
It hasn't always been easy,
But you land on your feet.
You have grit; you don't quit
Or given in to defeat.
If you fumble or stumble,
You don't ever stop…
And you've remained humble standing there at the top.
You can light up a room with the smile on your face.
You're caring; you're kind.
You have wit; you have grace.
Best of all,  
you've kept your heart in the right place!
Yet with all your success
And all that you've done,
You're still wonderfully you:
Full of light, full of fun!
For all that you are
And all that you do,
We celebrate awesome,
Unstoppable you.
This is just the beginning.
Now go make your way.
Go shine in the world.
Make the most of each day.
Take every chance
To make more dreams come true.
You had better believe that there's nothing you can't do!
Loudly and proudly, we celebrate you!
文字优美而又押韵,但是对孩子来言,绘本里的小企鹅的成长过程,才是他们的最爱。
小企鹅出生了,长大了,会爬会走会跑会飞了。

就是这样一只胖乎乎圆滚滚的小企鹅,让孩子们好像看见了自己。我问家里俩孩子,你最喜欢这本书里的哪一页呢?他俩左翻右翻,一致认为最喜欢下面两页。我问他们为什么?
这一页中的小企鹅出生了,他俩说小企鹅趴在地上的样子特别好玩,说完俩人还趴在地上模仿小企鹅的样子。
这一页,小企鹅滑雪的表情很出彩。他俩说,最初小企鹅是有些害怕的,但是他依然鼓起勇气滑了起来,紧接着去摔倒了,摔倒屁股了,不过他去继续向前滑去。
是啊,我也喜欢这一页,小企鹅很有层次感的表情,不就是像一面镜子一样,让孩子们看到了害怕而又不甘,摔倒而又爬起的自己?
俩孩子转过头来问我:妈妈,你最喜欢哪一页?
我啊,我翻到绘本的最后两页,
我最喜欢这两页,因为这两页里有企鹅的爸爸妈妈,他们远远目送小企鹅去追求自己的梦想,并且坚定地告诉小企鹅:你要相信,没有什么你是做不到的!(You'd better believe that there's NOTHING you can't do!)——这也是我对你们最深切的祝福。
1
END
1
如果喜欢,给我点个“在看”吧,谢谢!
更多童书
美娃英语启蒙
芬芳,坐标美国加州
零距离观察学习英语语言美式教学
继续阅读
阅读原文