National Children's Book Week

     I love watching children read and share books.   I have always loved to read.  I remember the mandatory book reports and being forced to share them with my classmates...and I dreaded them...but only because I was petrified of getting up in front of everyone.  I always had a book I really enjoyed and wanted to talk about, but could not keep my cool long enough to share all the great things about the book (that was probably good, though, because I was a "spoiler alert" waiting to happen!).
     We have two daughters, ages 2 and 4, and they LOVE to read!  They see me reading and ask what I am doing (I guess because I am not reading out loud!).  I tell them I am reading to myself, in my head.  Children love to imitate what they see, so they will then pick up a book (or paper or newspaper...) to show me they are reading, too.  We do have a lot of books at home- some we have purchased, many were given to my girls as gifts.  I am not saying it is easy to make the time to read each day in front of them (I often read after I have put them to bed), but it is totally worth the effort.  I take them to the public library and let them select 3-5 books a piece (plus an occasional video) and my older daughter brings a library book home each week from school.  We read 2-5 books a night before lights out.  The cuddling, the sharing, the questions, the imagination...!!!!  I LOVE it!
     I encourage you to read with your children, let them see you read- on your phone, a book, a recipe, a newspaper, doesn't matter- and talk with them about what you are reading.  Share an interesting fact, a new recipe, a juicy tidbit about a celebrity, anything!  Then ask them about what they are reading (or watching) right now.  What was your favorite part?  What is happening in the story right now?  What do you think will happen next?  Any question to get a conversation going...and see where it takes you!  Good luck and enjoy!