Do you read every day? Even when I worked crazy, long hours as a principal, everyone in our family read every night. We ended up cutting down on TV when our children’s schedules got busy.
As your child’s first and most important teacher, you’re a role model. If you expect your child to do her 20 minutes of reading a night, you should, too.
Let me add that I believe the 20 minutes a night that most schools prescribe is far too low. It’s also misleading. Readers grow through practice and talking about what they read, but learning to sustain their attention over time is just as important.
Here are 3 tips to increase your reading:
- Make reading time child and parent snuggling and comfort time.
- If you read exclusively on a mobile device, show your child that you enjoy reading books, magazines, newspapers or other print material that is in your home, too.
- Is your family in a routine of regular trips to the library? Library books are essential in the home. Bring your child to the children’s room and ask the children’s librarian to help him find books.
Part of helping kids learn to read is helping them to do it every day.
Education Spring 