When I first heard we were having a pajama day at school last spring, I thought,” Oh, no! I’m just not going to do that. It’s silly, and none of my pajamas will do.” However, I thought better of it when I heard some of the other teachers were participating. Why not?

I thought about all my pajamas. I used to have some with a picture of a school, but I couldn’t find them. I tried on my animal print pajamas, but they made me look enormous. Finally I settled on my black and red flowered ones with my red Croc shoes. Perfect!

They brightened the day of both students and teachers. Everyone smiled when they saw me. The children waved and told me I was beautiful, one of the few things I miss about teaching now that I have retired.

No one knew the sad story of these pajamas, and I made sure it stayed that way–no need to change those smiles into tears.

When we got the news of Cameron’s death, we packed our bags while in a state of shock. We didn’ know what we were throwing in. Susan was on the phone saying, “Get here! I need you!” When we got there a good friend Amy asked if we had forgotten anything. I realized I had brought nothing to sleep in. She quickly made a trip to J.C. Penney’s and bought me the most beautiful pajamas I had ever seen. I wore them every night for two weeks.

These pajamas had brought me nothing but bad memories until Pajama Day at school redeemed them. I hope when I wear them now that I will think of the smiles on the faces of children, teachers, cafeteria workers, and even bus drivers instead of the unspeakable circumstances that brought them to me.

I am so thankful for the loving friends and family God has given me. I am surrounded with support and people keep reminding me that I am loved. It helps, it really does.

I want to say a special thanks to JAB. You are always there for me and I can talk to you so easily. You have become like a real sister to me, and I have come to count on you. Know that I love you and appreciate you.
Also, Mom– you are awesome. I have the best mother ever and I love you so much. Thanks for all you have ever done and continue to do for me, for us. Cameron knew she had the best gr-Ann ma!!!!

This is a letter I wrote and sent to the editor of the McAlester Capital News:

 I am writing this letter on the occasion of the second anniversary of the death of my granddaughter, Cameron Averitt Bobbitt.

 Cameron was the child of my heart.  Because of her mother’s severe case of endometriosis, she had to be conceived with the help of fertility specialists.  The process was very painful and expensive and carried no guarantee of success.  On my birthday in the year 1999, two perfect embryos were planted in my daughter’s womb.  I was fortunate to be the only family member to see them under a microscope before they were implanted.  They were perfect circles, one much larger than the other.  Only one survived.  That one became Cameron Averitt Bobbitt.

 Following the wonderful privilege of seeing her before she began to grow in the womb, I was present at her birth.  Hers was the first birth I had ever witnessed.  I was in awe of the wonderful miracle, and my joy and excitement were complete.  I felt an instant connection with this tiny baby.  After all, I had known her from her beginning.

 As I gazed into her face for the first time, I felt that it was not the first time at all.  I knew I had seen her many times.  I had studied that face in the ultra-sound photos; I had seen it as part of a microscopic circle; and it was the very face of her mother.

 Throughout Cameron’s short life I would tell her, “I was the first person to ever see you alive.” 

I think she knew that what I really meant was that I loved her more than words could say, because one time she replied, “I was the first person to ever see you alive too!”

 When you reported Cameron’s death, you gave information about the driver, Mr. Max Kenyon, but you did not tell very much about Cameron orher family.  You quoted Mr. Joslin, superintendent of Frink School, as saying the family was new to the community and virtually unknown.  You did not mention that Cameron’s mother was a physician who had been recruited by the hospital to serve the area because it was medically under served.

 I am writing this letter to correct the impression you gave that Cameron was an insignificant, unknown person whose death didn’t matter.  It mattered very much to me.

This is an article I wrote for our church newsletter concerning the Christmas Book Drive for Cameron’s Amazing Book Club.

During the Christmas season of 2006 my daughter-in-law Catherine and I decided we wanted to give something to Susan and Derrick Bobbitt that would let them know we had not forgotten that this was to be our first Christmas without Cameron.  We settled on children’s books because Cameron had such a love of reading.  She had listened to books all her life, knowing when to turn the page when she was only a few months old.  As a kindergarten student, she had just started to read on her own when she was tragically killed while crossing the road in front of her school.

We thought we would have enough books to supply the waiting room at Susan’t clinic, but the response was too overwhelming for that.  Our many friends had been so touched by Cameron’s life and death that we had collected over 200 books by Christmas.  Cameron’s family delivered books to many local organizations that serve children.  Central Tiny Tots was one of the groups that received books.  All through the year books have continued to pour in.  These have been distributed throughout the state of Arkansas.

This year new friends that Susan and Derrick have made since moving to Fayetteville have created some beautiful collection boxes for a Christmas book drive.  One of these boxes has been placed at Central United Methodist Church.  Any children’s books you donate will be lovingly distributed to children so that they may experience the joy of reading just like Cameron.

Ann Averitt, Cameron’s grandmother

Your beginning reader has  brought home a book to read for homework.  This is so exciting, but now you wonder:  “How can I help when there is a problem?”  Good question!

 First of all, there should not be many problems.  A child does not make progress while reading at frustration level.  So use this “handy” rule to see if the book is too hard.  Every time there is a problem, put down one finger.  When you have put down your whole hand, that’s enough on these little beginning books.  Just finish the book for the child.  Later on you can use the hand rule on every page of a longer book.

 There could be two types of problems:  the child stops on a word and waits for help or gives the wrong word.

 Let’s take the second type of problem first.  If your child makes a mistake, don’t butt in!  Make a mental note of the mistake, but don’t correct it.  Self-correction is one of the most important steps toward becoming an independent reader.  You must allow it to happen.  At the end of the book go back to one or two (not all!)  of the most important mistakes.  First see if he can find his own mistake.  If not, give some clues.

 Now, what do you do when the child stops on a hard or tricky word? Don’t jump in too fast.  If you wait, she may figure it out.  If not,  it’s best to make a vague suggestion like:

• Does the picture help?
• What would make sense?
• Look at the first letter and get your mouth ready.

Notice I didn’t say, “Sound it out!”  That’s because this is not a good prompt.  Children don’t really know what it means and usually start breaking the word up into a sound for every letter.  That’s not nearly as helpful as looking for larger chunks or groups of letters.  It’s just best to never let those words pass through your lips!

Of course, there’s always–tell the word!  It’s ok.  You’re the parent, not the teacher.

It’s important that this be a warm, enjoyable time together, just like when you read to your child (and I hope are still reading to your child.)  Getting all the words right is not nearly so important as learning to love reading and some day choosing to read on her own when she doesn’t have to.

Don’t forget about writing!  It’s the other side of the reading coin.  After all, they’re really the same thing–communicating through print!  Your child will learn to read much faster if she is exploring writing at the same time.  Writing is actually a much easier form of print to use when learning.  This is because the writer already knows the message (It’s her own!) and because it slows the process down, allowing for analysis.  So let your child write, write write!  This can take the form of pretend writing or co-construction in which you help with the hard parts.  It can be a “story” (one sentence long) about something on the child’s mind or a letter to someone special (like Grandma?).  Be sure to make it fun.  You will be amazed at how learning to write will help her learn to read.

You may wonder how it is possible to log 1000 of reading to and with your child.  It’s simple!  Start early and stay with it!

Your unborn baby can begin to hear sounds long before you get to meet her in person.  She will love the rhythmic sound of your voice as you read aloud to her while you put your feet up.

Take a book with you to the hospital and make reading a part of rooming in.

 In a few months she will want to grab the book away from you and put it in her mouth.  This is why you will use cloth books, plastic bath books, and board books.

On the go toddlers may not like to sit still very long, but this doesn’t mean they don’t like reading.  Sneak it in at odd times–while eating, using the potty, and avoiding going to sleep.

Vary the books.  Include old favorites and new books.  Let your darling help turn the pages, even if it means skipping some parts.  Even if he wanders off or says, “THE END” before the book is over, don’t give up.  Try again tomorrow.

Make your child a member of the thousand hour club by the time he or she goes to school.  Marilyn Jager Adams estimates that among families who routinely read stories to their children, the lucky children spend from 1000 to 1700 hours in one-to-one literacy activities before they enter school.  There is no way for a teacher to make up this time for children with no storybook routines, no magnetic letters, and no pencils.

The advantages are many:

• They will be familiar with book language.  Where else but in books can you hear phrases like “said Father”?  Books have a way of talking that sounds very strange to the ear of the child who has not been read to.
• Their vocabularies will increase.  As they hear a wide variety of words used in stories, interesting words will begin to creep into their spoken vocabularies.
• Their attention spans will lengthen.  As children are read to, they will be able to sit and listen for longer and longer periods of time.  This is voluntary attention, as opposed to attention given to the TV screen, which pulls children in with rapidly changing sights and sounds.  Voluntary attention is critical to success in school.
• They will develop a love of books as they associate them with a warm, comfortable relationship with the most important person in their lives–YOU!

I appreciate your input!  Keep up the good work.