MONROE, N.C. — Longtime pediatrician Dr. Mary Lindsay-Barber knows appointments can be scary, but she also knows there’s one way to offset that fear isn’t just a sticker or a lollipop.
For years, the Novant Health practice in Monroe and many others across the area have given out books to children from birth on.
“Many children when they’re coming for well checkups, first question, pull into the parking lot is, am I getting a shot today?” said Lindsay-Barber.
Dr. Lindsay-Barber says many of the kids are “very interested in getting their book.”
“Many of them are classic books, ‘Goodnight Moon,’ etc., ones that we all know about and love,” Lindsay-Barber said. “We know how important it is for us, as trusted messengers, as pediatricians, to promote literacy. We have so many studies through the American Academy of Pediatrics that show the benefit to language and development of children who are exposed to reading and literacy early.”
In recent years, she says they’ve partnered with Promising Pages to give out even more free books at checkups, not just for patients, but for their siblings too.
Now, they have a Promising Pages Reading Resource Center in the works in the waiting area, with free books and helpful guides. She says books help in the overall development of a child and family.
“Being able to sit up, to hold, to turn pages, to engage the whole family in routines and rituals, whether that’s at bedtime, reading stories, engaging older children in practicing reading by reading to younger siblings,” Lindsay-Barber said.
Many of the books that go home with patients come from the ‘Reach Out and Read’ program. Promising Pages has helped add to that.
Lindsay-Barber says the goal is to put reading resource centers in their other Waxhaw and Wesley Chapel locations as well.
You can support Promising Pages and similar programs through Channel 9’s Books for Kids drive.