Research shows that children who read frequently are more likely to do well academically. According to a 2000 report by the National Center for Educational Statistics, students who read for pleasure every day scored almost 10 percent higher on proficiency tests than those children who don't. Specifically, those who read a wide variety of styles and genres are more likely to have fun reading and, in turn, become life-long learners.

The way children become readers can seem a little mysterious at first. One day they aren't able to recognize their name in print, and then, as if someone flipped a switch in their brains, they are reading everything from street signs to chapter books. In reality, learning to read is a very complex process that works best when teachers and parents come together as a team.

The importance of reading with your children

You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be. I had a mother who read to me. 

Strickland Gillilan Research has shown that reading together with your children for even a few minutes a day can help them learn basic reading skills more quickly. By reading to your children, you also encourage them to make reading a life-long habit.  Unfortunately, after-school activities, though important pursuits, along with round-the-clock children's television and portable computer games often leave little time for families to read together each day. Parents these days must be creative with finding time to read with their children.  Following are some fun and creative ways to incorporate reading into your daily lives:

• Read aloud every day. Reading aloud to children has been called the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for reading success. 

• Reading aloud helps children learn about written language, about the world around them, and about the connection between spoken and written words. 

• Read aloud with your children even as they get older, and have your children read to you. Some families carve out a half hour of reading time before bed; others enjoy a book in the morning along with their Cheerios. Remember, too, to talk with your children about the books they read. Ask them about the story and help them with new vocabulary words.

• Eat your words. Who says reading has to happen at bedtime? Getting to eat a luscious chocolate cake you've baked after reading a book about food can spark a lot of enthusiasm. Some great books to try with your children include: Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven; Mr. Belinsky's Bagels by Ellen Schwartz; The Little Red Hen (Makes A Pizza) by Philemon Sturges; Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath; It's Disgusting and We Ate It!: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History by James Solheim; The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker; and Knead It. Punch It. Bake It. The Ultimate Breadmaking Book for Parents and Kids by Judith Jones.

• Take it on the road. Down time before soccer practice or a long wait at the orthodontist's office are times when a good book comes in handy. Pack a bag of books and leave it in your car for these occasions. 

• Let children choose what they want to read. Maybe you'd like them to fall in love with the Tales of Narnia just like you did as a kid. But to spark their interest in reading, you need to let them make their own choices, too (A note: though you may not be able to stomach them, Justice League comics and Lizzie Maguire novels do count as well-written choices!) 

• Next stop, the library. Work in weekly trips to the library to stock up on books, and take advantage of the programs available for families. Introduce your children to the youth service librarians and ask for their help finding stories your children will like. 

• Tie reading to summertime activities. There are so many wonderful fiction and non-fiction books that celebrate the seasons. A few about the summer include: Come on, Rain! by Karen Hesse; Sun Dance, Water Dance by Jonathan London Summer; An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur; A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen; Fudge-A-Mania by Judy Blume; and Letters from Camp: A Mystery by Kate Klise.

If your family will be going on vacation this summer, consider taking along some books that relate to your journey. One parent whose family was headed for a week in Maine stocked up on picture and reference books about ocean life from the library.

Fighting prime time (and Gameboys/girls and GameCubes)

Becoming a good reader, like any other skill, takes time and practice. By limiting television, computer use and videogames, you give your children that much more opportunity to read along with you or read solo. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children's use of TV, movies and video and computer games be limited to no more than one or two hours per day. 

Some facts about TV and reading: 

• American children watch nearly four hours of television every day. Watching movies on tape and playing videogames only add to time spent in front of the TV screen. Children spend more time in front of the television each year than they do in school. 

• A study by Nielson Media research found that students who watched TV or played videogames six or more hours per day earned the lowest average scores on reading proficiency tests, while students who watched an hour or less per day earned the highest average scores.

• Learning disabilities and reading disabilities like dyslexia make it harder for children to learn to read through conventional teaching methods. While intervention at school is essential to help these children become successful readers, families also play an important role. If your child has been identified as having a learning disability related to reading, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind: 
   

• Tap into your children's areas of strength. Though some children can have great difficulty reading, they might easily understand through listening. Take advantage of their strengths. Rather than forcing reading, which can set your children up to fail and learn to dislike books, let them listen to you read or play a book on tape. 

• Make sure their books are at their reading level. Most children with learning disabilities will be reading below grade level. Today, there are plenty of good books that will keep their interest without frustrating them. Confer with your child's teacher to get an idea of appropriate books for your child.

• Practice makes perfect! The more exposure your child has to reading, the more strategies he/she will learn in order to decode unfamiliar text.

Reading resources for parents:

• How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Raji Codell 

• The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children by Eden Ross Lipson

• The Read-Aloud Handbook and Hey! Listen to This: Stories to Read Aloud by Jim Trelease

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