International Literacy Day is today, September 8!

Cheers to International Literacy Day!

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So, last month marked the end of the Reading Rainbow, partly because there wasn't  one entity who would put up the money to renew their broadcasting rights but partly because of the shift from educational TV programming. Reading Rainbow started in the early 80s and inspired many children to read because they made reading... exciting.

My question is this. What happens when the excitement factor fades? This normally happens in middle school or high school when required reading and book reports spring up and these books are... well, not so exciting. When a book that has challenged thought and reason becomes too cumbersome to read further and is no longer exciting, what happens to the reader? The reason for reading then is dependent on the excitement factor rather than a deeper more lasting purpose. What is that purpose? I think it varies for each reader. For me, reading expands my mind and my heart. 

I value reading programs and appreciate the work to encourage literacy. The effort is great and the funding limitless. However, the good news is there are things each of us can do at home to take responsibility for increasing our literacy in our community. The primary responsibility has to come from home, the parents or the family. There's much truth to the saying "A child learns what it lives".  If parents demand their children to read and espouse the value of reading, but don't read themselves then it is much more challenging to get a child to pick up a book. Here are some tips to encourage reading in your home:

1. Read together with your child
2. Make reading a daily habit, scheduled at the same time each day so the child looks forward to reading time with a parent, sibling, aunt or family friend. 
3. Have a wide range of books on a bookcase on various topics accessible
4. Carve out a room in the home dedicated only to reading. Make reading a sacred space, no matter the space size. It creates in the mind of the child how special reading is.
5. Take time out for yourself to read too for your pleasure; children learn what they live.
6. Talk about and refer back to the books read in the household. This is a great way to connect with each other in a positive way and encourages critical thinking skills if done so in an engaging manner. 

These are tips from my young growing years. My parents kept a beautiful bookcase of books in the living room and though they never told me to go in there and read, I was intrigued and picked up books I normally wouldn't have like... Word Power Made Easy, Pocket Medical Dictionary, Brainteaser books, Normal Vincent Peale's books, the Power of Positive Thinking.

I hope these tips encourage your household to take pleasure in reading and to inspire a lifetime of reading, learning and discussing.   

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