Reading Road Trip

Reading Road Trip

Dr. Seuss once famously said, ““The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”  In celebration of his March 2nd birthday, as well as National Reading month, we thought we would take you on a journey through our list of ideas to encourage your family to read more.

First, as adults, it’s important that you understand the benefits, not only to your children, but to you, as well.  Studies have proven that reading can increase intelligence and cognition while simultaneously reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.  Reading can also improve sleep and your ability for empathy; and if it’s that good for you, imagine how the children in your life will benefit!  Here are a few suggestions to make reading a regular part of your reality:

Adventures: Make reading something exciting.  Choose books that interest you.  Often, we make reading a drudgery because we think that we have  to read a certain type of book, but one thing is for certain: if you aren’t reading at all, you won’t see any good come of it.  Also, you should make it a regular part of your schedule to visit your local library.  Many libraries host events that are open to the public in the hopes of expanding  their reach and your love for reading.

Atmosphere: Did you ever make a blanket fort with a kitchen table and chairs?  Remember how fun it was to hide out in the cozy little space?  Why not use what you already have in your home to create a nook where you can enjoy a good book?  You might find you enjoy it as much as that fort you made when you were young.

Audiobooks: One of the greatest modern tools you can use to increase your intake of the written word is audiobooks.  If you can’t spare the extra expense to purchase audiobooks, check your local library, as they often have many titles available.  You might ask about the availability of e-books at your local library, as well.

Access: Finally, in addition to adding audiobooks and e-books to your literary repertoire, you should make sure you have easy access to old-school hard copies, as well.  And, you can spread the joy of reading to others by gifting  books you particularly enjoy.  If you don’t have to hunt for a good read, you can spend more time actually expanding your knowledge through reading.

Speaking of expanding knowledge, we are proud to partner with the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, a local agency whose mission it is to grow public awareness of child abuse in our community and educate concerning ways to prevent it. Contact us today for more information on how you can assist us in helping this great organization!