Lately, my daughter has become obsessed with Korean dramas.  She recently asked me if reading the subtitles constituted as reading.  I quickly said, "no!", but on second thought, have you seen how quickly those words move across the page?  As I have pondered her question, I have to be thankful that my 6th grader has the reading skills to keep up with the subtitles.  

Literacy is NOT just picking up a good book for entertainment (although it is a good place to start).  It's an opportunity that allows a child and adult to sharpen their intellect.  By simply reading, a person increases their vocabulary, comprehension, memory, and even their concentration skills!  Reading prevents boredom and allows your mind to create colorful characters that even a movie has a hard time producing.  It a form of entertainment that does not disappoint.  It gives you something to discuss in a circle of friends.  Reading provides you with the skills to interview for a job or order food off a menu.  The benefits of reading are endless!

So, the next time you pick up a book, magazine, or even menu, don't just look at it as a form of cheap entertainment.  Remember, reading is a privledge that opens the doors to an array of endless possibilities and we should be grateful to be literate.

My 11 year daughter is a happy go-lucky child that thrives on comedy.  She does not like to watch, read or talk about anything that is sad or depressing.  Until last year.

She kept on begging me to read a book that her teacher had been reading to the class.  Here’s the catch.  The book was very dark and involved some violence and was not like anything that ever interested her.  So, I made a deal with her.  I would read The Hunger Games if she read Harry Potter.

She kept her end of the bargain and read Harry Potter, but did not fall in love with the series. I, on the other hand, finished the Hunger Games trilogy.  So, I didn’t make my kid a lover of Harry Potter, but she made me a lover of the Hunger Games and it went on from there.  She made her grandparents, aunt, and cousin (who’s 18) read it as well.  It has truly become a family affair.

So, now we are awaiting the release of the movie and talk about other books that she wants me to read.  I hope that this will continue long into her adult years.

Reading what your child is interested in just creates another way to be involved in your child’s life.  It opens the door to communication and creates a bond that will hopefully last a lifetime.