Why is reading important in
today's society?

Reading is more important today than it ever was — it is crucial to being an informed citizen, to succeed in one's chosen career, and to personal fulfillment.

Children who read well do better in other subjects and in all aspects of schooling and beyond. As the world becomes more complex, reading is increasingly important for children trying to find their place in it.

How can we make reading part of our family’s lifestyle?

Parents play a critical role in helping their children develop not only the ability to read, but also an enjoyment of reading. Start by limiting your family’s television viewing time. If you have books, newspapers and magazines around your house, and your child sees you reading, then your child will learn that you value reading. You can’t over-estimate the value of modeling.

Reading with your child is a great activity. It not only teaches your child that reading is important to you, but it also offers a chance to talk about the book, and often other issues will come up. Books can really open the lines of communication between parent and child. Try finding library books about current issues or interests in your family’s or child’s life, and then reading them together. For example, read a book about going to the dentist prior to your child’s next dental exam, or get some books about seashore life after a trip to the coast. If your child is obsessed with dragons, ask your librarian to recommend a good dragon novel for your child.

There are so many ways in which reading continues to be both a vital skill for children to master, and an important source of knowledge and pleasure that can last a lifetime. Nurture it in your children. Make the most of all the resources that are available and waiting for you: printed books, online books, magazines and so forth. Encourage follow-up activities involving creative writing skills and the arts, as well, so that your children can reflect upon or expand on what they've absorbed and, at the same time, develop their own creativity. As you help your kids appreciate the magic of reading, you'll find that there's a whole wonderful world full of children's literature out there that YOU can enjoy too.

We welcome your comments and suggestions!
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Last Updated: August 18, 2008
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Hints for Parents to Help
Their Child Love to Read

Below are some helpful hints to get your child reading on a regular basis.

• Keep a small basket filled with joke books, magazines, short stories, books of questions and answers, and books like Ripley’s Believe It or Not in each bathroom of your house.
• Reading 15 - 30 minutes in bed before turning off the lights is not only a great habit to develop but relaxes children so they fall asleep easier.
• Children need lots of books that are "easy" or age-appropiate. No one wants to struggle through a book when they are reading for pleasure!
• Take your children to the bookstores regularly. Make visiting bookstores your family recreation and eventually part of your “family culture”. Get books on many subjects and make them accessible for your children at all times.
• Secondhand bookstores, Salvation Army stores, Value Villages, yard sales and Book Events are the best places to find inexpensive books.
• When it comes to teaching some “boring stuff”, like Math, Phonics and Grammar, a car is often the best place. Kids in car seats have nothing better to do than to pay attention and work out abstract lessons.
• Always ask questions on a given subject to raise your child’s interest or inspire their curiosity before teaching something new.