How one family keeps imagination alive through reading.
For the Rettler family of Laramie, stories are more than just pages and pictures; they’re the beginning of conversations, curiosity, and connection. Whether it’s before bedtime or while waiting for a meal at Turtle Rock Café, books are always part of their daily rhythm.
Reading aloud, says mother Lindsay Rettler, has become one of the most meaningful parts of raising her two children, Duncan and Maya. “Of all the things I could do as a parent,” she shared, “if I have read to my kids a lot and talked about books with them, that’s one thing I can count as having done right.”
Rettler, who has always loved reading herself, believes early storytelling is crucial for children’s emotional and cognitive growth. For the Rettlers, it’s not about academic milestones; it’s about widening the world their children can imagine. “Reading helps kids see other perspectives,” Lindsay explained. “It opens up their minds and helps us talk about tough things.”
When it comes to starting difficult conversations, about grief, fairness, or the emotions that children often struggle to name. Rettler often turns to books or sometimes even modern children’s shows for guidance in opening her children’s minds. “Newer shows like Bluey and Daniel Tiger really talk about feelings,” she said. “Daniel Tiger helped us discuss the idea that you can feel more than one emotion at the same time.” Those stories, she believes, offer a safe space for kids to explore big feelings before encountering them in real life.
The family’s reading habits are woven into their everyday routines. Both children attend Indian Paintbrush Elementary, and on half days or even after school ends for them, they often stop by Turtle Rock Café with a few favorite books tucked under their arms. Maya, the youngest, lights up when talking about her recent favorites like Charlotte’s Web, The Library of Unruly Treasures, and Pepita Meets Bebita, a bilingual picture book about a family preparing for a new baby. Her brother Duncan loves fantasy and adventure, and his favorites include stories like Wings of Fire, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and the Lemoncello Library Series.
At home, the bookshelves are lined with both classics and newer titles, and Lindsay encourages her children to find their own favorites.
“I really believe there’s a book for everyone,” she said. “Leaving books around makes the kids more curious and more likely to pick them up.”
Lindsay had also briefly mentioned how many readers can agree on the feeling that there is a significant number of parents today who do not incorporate books enough in their children’s lives, which could stem from the fact that media is so easily accessible through electronics. She mentioned that even while screen time and digital entertainment have become more common, they cannot replace the value of shared reading.
“It doesn’t have to be every night,” she said, “but even reading a little bit or talking about a story makes such a difference.”
Lindsay emphasized that many parents underestimate how early kids can engage with stories and how deeply they absorb the values behind them. She believes that when reading is treated as a priority, it builds not only language skills but emotional bonds between families.
For Rettler, reading is also a bridge to understanding the world. When difficult news breaks, she looks for children’s books that can help start conversations and open a way for the family to discuss certain topics before her children hear it elsewhere.
“It’s better to get ahead of that and talk about it with them,” she said. “Books give us the words for things that might be hard to say otherwise.”
While traditional fairy tales like Snow White have their place in school lessons, Rettler tends to favor newer, more inclusive stories at home.
“A lot of those older tales are about scaring kids into behaving,” she reflected. “We read books that show different kinds of people, ideas, and traditions instead.”
That intentional approach exposes Duncan and Maya to cultures and experiences they might not otherwise encounter in their Wyoming town.
As the family wrapped up another successful evening of bonding and reading, the stories they’ve shared linger beyond the pages, sparking questions, laughter, and the quiet confidence that comes from being heard.
For Rettler, that’s the real magic of reading: “It’s not just about the words,” she said, smiling. “It’s about being together in the story.”
