A Full-Circle Moment for a Mother

There are seldom times when your life makes connections, binding a memorable moment from the past with a random event in the present. Or is it random? Maybe it’s coincidental or fate- all questions you ask yourself when a serendipitous moment occurs.  

EOG Resources employee Christine made that connection during the Foundation’s week-long Raising a Reader volunteer event during which 14,000 bags were filled with literacy resources including an indestructible book, library card, and bookmark to distribute to parents and their newborns through 10 HCA Houston Healthcare and Harris Health hospitals across the region. Raising a Reader’s mission of empowering parents to be their child’s first teachers reminded Christine of receiving similar literacy resources after the birth of both of her children.  

“I'm passionate about literacy, and I wanted to participate in the volunteer event hosted by EOG Resources in partnership with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. When I arrived at the event, it struck me that they were sending these off to the hospitals. And that's when I realized this is like one of the bags that I received,” said Christine.  

Leaving the materials where they could be easily referred to, Christine reminisced on how they were daily reminders of the importance of early literacy practices in the home, practices she shared with her family long before she started hers.  

“My grandmother was a librarian...she got her master’s degree in library science. So, growing up as a kid, for our birthdays, my grandparents would always send us books for our birthdays and for Christmas, and they were always wrapped in comics from the newspaper.

Then when we would go visit her, we would always have that quiet time. It was a time when we could read, or sometimes I would write stories. Then when I had my daughter, I remembered that I wanted to incorporate those experiences with my daughter, too.” 

Those early lessons helped shape the way Christine approached reading with her own children. She intentionally made books a part of everyday life, using them not only to build literacy skills but also to create moments of connection and education with her family.  

Christine read books about emotions and children's meditation, which became tools for talking about and processing emotions together. She also included books that focused on physical health, turning into lessons on the importance of stretching and movement. By intentionally selecting books, it sparked conversations about healthy eating and lifestyle, which opened new doors and piqued curiosity.  

“The main thing is to make reading and learning fun. Education is important too, right? You develop a love for reading; you develop a love for learning. 

Can I teach it to her through a book? And so now it's turned into journaling, story writing, and talking about emotions. Like I say, just start out doing it and you'll be surprised at what it can turn into,” said Christine.  

With programs like Raising A Reader, parents like Christine are reminded of the importance of early literacy, and thanks to her dedication as a volunteer, more parents will be given the same opportunity.  

If you’re looking for children's books that focus on emotions and health, the Foundation has curated a list to support your little one’s journey of discovery.