The importance of reading books as a family

My wife loves to read books. She has read several books since we have been married. She has read all the Harry Potter, Twilight, and True Blood books. She has read countless vampire ,wizard and romance book available. She is setting a good example for all of my daughters. I'm not talking about the subject matter because I really don't care about the vampires or wizards. She is setting a example by her love of reading.

I think it is great that we read as a family. I like to read different books too. I read more business and motivational books. Me and my wife try to read a book to our kids every night before bedtime. We take them to the library once a week to check out books. My kids love hanging out at the library.

I know with the summer months reading is the last thing that the kids are interested in. Kids are more interested in swimming and other things. I know families are getting away from reading. Parents need to make their kids read and turn off the television. Kids can get stuck watching television all day if you let them.

According to Jim Trelease author of the New York Times best seller , The read aloud handbook, he lists 10 facts that parents should know about reading:

1. Reading is the most important subject in school.


2. Across the world, children that read the most read the best.


3. Humans are pleasure seekers. We do things over and over again if we like it. So if you want your kids to read more often, make sure they love it more than they hate it. Keep reading .


4. Read aloud to them even as infants.


5. Listening comprehension comes before reading comprehension.


6. Children usually read on one level and listen on a higher level.


7. Research shows that children who come from homes with the most print-books, magazines and newspapers have the highest reading scores.


8. There is a strong connection between over viewing of television by children and under- achieving of school.


9. Have kids watch closed captioning television.


10. Have kids listen to audio books.

I think I have the writing part covered for my kids. I am working with my younger kids on basic writing skills . A journal is the best place to start for young kids. I have encouraged my older ones to start a blog, They don't have to go public with it. They can keep it a private blog. Math I don't mess with I leave that to my wife!