There has been a crisis among the reading public. The proliferation of diversions has meant that reading books have gone by the wayside. Children are not being taught to read for pleasure, but rather as part of a school curriculum. There is a way to remedy this, though, by creating a family reading night. A family reading night encourages reading in both children and their parents, and teaches an appreciation of literature. A family reading night can also create literate, informed citizens who are needed to compete in the 21st century.
The origins of a family reading program can be traced to reading to toddlers. Parents have routinely read to toddlers to give them an appreciation of story books. Often, toddlers absorb both the images and the words, and are drawn to the words in particular with the use of clever rhyme schemes, meters, and a subtle timbre that pervades the words.
Family reading night activities may have different content, but the same idea. A family reading night is meant to get the whole family engaged into literature. There is room for creativity with family reading night ideas, depending on the age of the child. For instance, the entire family could read the same book, such as a novel by Fyodor Doestoyevsky or James Joyce, and discuss it as a family. A family reading night could also include members reading different books and sharing their observations. For more ideas, a family could always dive into family reading program magazines, and see what they suggest.
Families who read together grow together. That is why family reading night is so important. Parents can get a unique window on the intellectual development of their children. In exchange, children can develop a new appreciation for literature. As time goes on, one hopes that children grow up to be literate, informed citizens, and are able to compete in the economy of the 21st century.
