Make Readers of Your Future Leaders

With PCs, i Pods, game stations and wide screen, HD plasma TV competing for your child's free time, it may be hard to convince your future leader that reading can be fun. However, none of the electronic alternatives can expand your child's mind or imagination as well as Mark Twain, Goosebumps or even a Spiderman comic book. If you start early, and get personally involved, your child will grow to love reading. Here are ten things you can do to make a reader of your future leader.

Visit libraries

Local librarians organize programs for their younger clients. So make an afternoon field trip that starts with story hour and ends with checking out a book or two.

Set an example by reading yourself

Don't wait until bed time. Read during the day, when your child can see you. Children of all ages enjoy having a book read to them. Make it a part of your daily routine.

Make a special place in your child's bedroom for books

Subscribe to an age-appropriate magazine in your child's name

This gives him the added thrill of getting his own mail!

Give a your child a book allowance

Children can spend their own money to buy books through school, at library book sales or at the local book store.

Read what they are reading for school so you can talk about it

Turn off the TV and have everyone in the family get out a book to read

Listen to an audio book as a family

You can borrow them from your library.

Don't make your child limit his reading to just books

Any kind of reading is good, including comic books and magazines.

Make reading fun and it will become a natural part of your child's life. The payoff is big at school, at work and in life.

photo by Horton Group