It pays to read with your children!

I've always heard that you should read to your children, it will help them even when they are babies. So with each of my children I have always emphasized the importance of books. We have filled our house with books. These books are readily accessible at any time to my children. We also take them to the library and let them experience different books. They have many opportunities to read. My children enjoy reading with me. Even my first grader, who can read on her own, still loves to sit and listen to stories. It has proved to be a wonderful experience for our family. It creates amazing opportunities for discussion and such between us and our children. I love to read to my children.
There are other benefits to reading to your children, or having them read to you! Over the summer there were multiple reading programs where the kids earned rewards for reading. Not that my kids needed any extra encouragement to read, but it was fun for them to mark their time and to eventually report their time at the end of the program. Even my two year old could participate in most of the programs.
First off there was the library program for kids and adults alike. We all spent time reading and received a free book in August. That was fun for the kids to go to the library and get to pick a new book, bring it home, and realize they didn't have to return it to the library in a couple of weeks! Oh the joy.
Then Amber participated in a program sponsored by the Utah State Fair for school age children. She only had to read 10 books by a certain date, I think by July. She had two or three months to read these 10 books. She completed it quickly. She would read a book and ask "Mom, will you write down this book for me?" It was fun to see her enthusiasm. So, just for reading 10 books, she received free admission to the fair, a free drink at the fair, and a free carnival ride at the fair. She also received a ribbon book mark.
The last program my kids all participated in was the Governor's summer reading challenge. I don't remember if they had a specific amount of time they had to read. But they had to read all summer long. Then we had to put their names on a postcard and say that they had completed the challenge. We sent that in to the Governor around the beginning or middle of September. The incentive for this program was to be a free kids meal for each of the children that completed the program. We just received that in the mail today. I was only expecting a kids meal certificate from McDonald's, but to our delight our kids received more than just a McDonald's kids meal. Here's what was in their package.
-- A certificate congratulating each of them on completing the program.
-- A McDonald's kids meal certificate for each of them.
-- A Chuck-A-Rama certificate for each of them.
-- A Sizzler kids meal certificate for each of them.
-- A Red Robin kids meal certificate for each of them.

The greatest part of all of these was that it was absolutely free to us! We did not have to pay to join the programs. We had such a wonderful opportunity to emphasize and encourage reading in our family this summer. We had so much fun and my kids are so excited to use their certificates. Yes, reading is wonderful, but it is even sweeter when the kids can get encouragement from a source outside of the home to read. I do hope they continue to love books and that reading will continue to be fun for them.

As a matter of fact, my two year old just fell down, came to me screaming, and has been comforted by a book. He is quietly sitting next to me looking at a book. The power of books is amazing. I am so grateful for the opportunities we have had because of books!