| I come from a family of readers. My | | | | 2. Research evidence show that a parent's |
| grandmother Anna loved to read, in particular, | | | | involvement with their children by reading to them |
| romance and mystery novels. I spent many an | | | | is moreimportant then anything else in helping |
| afternoon with her, sitting in her living room, | | | | them realize their full potential. |
| reading Mary Stewart and Phyllis Whitney books. | | | | 3. By reading to your children, you increase the |
| My mother, Evelyn, loves to read and always has | | | | probability that they will stay in school. |
| a book at hand. Mom read to me and my | | | | 4. Children who are read to at an early age have |
| brothers and sisters when we were young and I | | | | an increased vocabulary and are morecapable of |
| learned to read from her before I went to school. | | | | coping with the demands of educational literary |
| Thanks to Mom, my siblings and I have loved to | | | | training. |
| read all of our lives and often spend happy times | | | | 5. Reading to your children stimulates their |
| together discussing the books that we have read. | | | | imagination, their emotional development and |
| To this day, I have a passion for the power and | | | | increases their confidence and self-esteem. |
| the magic of the written word that I believe was | | | | 6. Reading activities increase children's knowledge |
| instilled in me because of the example given to | | | | of other areas and gives them a better |
| me by my grandmother, mother and older siblings. | | | | background for academic success. |
| Of course, I have tried to pass on this love for | | | | 7. Reading to and with your child helps to build a |
| books to my own two children. When they were | | | | strong, lasting relationship with them. |
| small, I read to them a bedtime story every | | | | 8. A child who has been read to has an increased |
| night. My daughter, Caitlin loved fairy tales, | | | | probability of future employment. |
| especially stories about princesses like Belle, | | | | 9. Reading increases a child's attention span. |
| Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. My son, John | | | | 10. Reading provides entertainment and a valuable |
| enjoyed Mercer Meyer's Little Critter books and | | | | alternative to television. |
| the adventures of the Berenstein Bears. Both of | | | | Have the above given reasons established |
| my children share with me a fascination for one | | | | themselves in the case of my own children? |
| of the all time great (in my opinion) literary | | | | Bragging intended my children have achieved |
| heroines, Alice of Wonderland fame. Today, | | | | academic success. My fifteen year-old daughter |
| reading is a favorite pastime for both of my kids, | | | | who attends a local prep school has, as she |
| one I know will remain with them all their lives. | | | | always does, achieved first honors in her current |
| As many an educator will tell you, reading to your | | | | marking period, bringing home two B+'s and four |
| children when they are young is very important. | | | | A's. As for my son, who is graduating this year |
| Statistically, children who are read to have a | | | | from his own prep school, John has just been |
| better chance at achieving success later in life. | | | | admitted to a top Ivy League university on a |
| Below are ten reasons why reading to your | | | | substantial scholarship. Do I think that the fact |
| children will help improve their chances at | | | | they were read to when they were young was |
| becoming a success and their quality of life. | | | | an important reason behind their academic |
| 1. Reading to your children provides them with a | | | | success? You had better believe it! |
| lasting reading role model. | | | | |