Above is a picture of my two little boys, Brock and Jake. Seeing as I'm a teacher-librarian, you probably aren't surprised to see a picture of them reading a book. This sight is always something that makes me very happy. To see them imitate me reading is quite funny and it brings a smile to my face!
It is very important that little children are read to at home be it by a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend. This reading, even at a very young age, helps children with their vocabulary and instilling in them a life-long love of reading. For these younger readers, like my boys, I encourage parents to purchase board books which hold up much better to hard use by their little readers. I know these books can take a beating because I've seen it in my own household!
While reading to your children is important, it is also important that your children see you reading for enjoyment, too. It doesn't have to be a book. It could be a newspaper, a magazine, or a newsletter, but let me see you enjoying it. I know of some families that set aside a specific reading time during the day where everyone in the house drops whatever it is and reads for a certain amount of time. I've heard students tell me in the first few weeks of school that they are required to read 20 minutes every day, but they like it so much that they read longer than that. That's great to hear!
My husband and I are both avid readers and we're hoping that our boys learn to love it as much as we do. It's so easy and fun to "get lost" in a book. That's something I hope that my students are doing every single day!
Happy Reading!
