Nick is a real joker

Ingrid and I meet at the ferry, from there we head to Nick (6 years old) and his mother, the family they have been visiting with great pleasure every Wednesday afternoon for a few months now. On the way, Ingrid tells me how much she enjoys and finds it inspiring to read aloud at the VoorleesExpress: “You visit people’s homes where you wouldn’t normally go, I have noticed that I am entering a ‘white’ circle after all,” and so now Ingrid visits the Dastpak family’s home every week, where the Iranian sweets are waiting for her.Iranian sweetsAfter a beautiful bike ride through Amsterdam-Noord, an important part of Wednesday afternoon enjoyment, as Ingrid tells me, we arrive at Nick’s place. We are warmly welcomed by him and his mother with tea, cookies, and Iranian sweets. Mother tells me right away how happy she is with Ingrid and how incredibly sweet she is.

You visit people’s homes where you wouldn’t normally go yourself, I’ve noticed that I do find myself in a ‘white’ circle after all

Nick talks extensively about his reading hour with Ingrid. They read together, but also play a lot of games. The ‘Hans and Grietje game’, better known as Snakes and Ladders, is a favorite. But if Nick has to name a favorite book, it is stillThe Little Donkey and Birthday Jacky: about the donkey who wants to give Jacky a kite as a gift, but the kite is actually too beautiful to give away. I ask Nick if he understands Little Donkey, but of course, he can’t answer that: “It’s just a book, right!”Police officerTogether with Nick, Ingrid and I are reading the search bookThe Yellow Balloon, where a yellow balloon is hidden on each page for you to find. But Nick knows a much more fun game: who can find the police car first. And he’s a pro at that, because Nick wants to become a police officer when he grows up. After a small accident, he visited the police station once and got a teddy bear from the officer, who promised him that he could come back to the station later to become an officer, so that will work out well. He doesn’t want to become the police chief because he just wants to keep catching bad guys.

Ingrid and Nick also often play with letters together. His favorite letter? “The Z of course, from Zorro!” Because Zorro gives money to people who don’t have any. We all think that’s a good reason. Nick has already learned a lot of letters from Ingrid, he tells me. When I ask Ingrid what she has learned from Nick, she answers: “Nick has taught me how to make jokes. He’s a real joker.” Nick beams.Become a volunteer at the Voorleesexpress?The VoorleesExpress is a project where children with a language delay are read to at home by volunteers on a weekly basis. They reach 900 families per year. Many volunteers are needed for this. Are you interested in different cultures, enthusiastic about books, reading aloud, and have an affinity for children?Check out this job vacancy.Text: Lucia Latjes Photo: Ingrid Jäger