National Read Across America Day

March 2nd is National Read Across America Day, a day that everyone can embrace. It is also targeted for school children with an emphasis on Dr. Seuss for younger children, and many schools hold special events on the day. However, it's not limited to just children. Everyone is encouraged to read and perhaps even read to someone else who needs it.

If we want our children and grandchildren to be successful academically, we need to encourage their reading. It is the key to most other learning, and it needs to start early. Hearing the reading cadence of your voice even before a young child can understand the words has benefits. Depending only on the schools to teach and encourage reading will not be enough to carry on throughout life with a love of reading. How reading is treated at home will have an even greater effect.

As both an avid reader, author, and former reading teaching, this is certainly a day I can embrace. So, you can use this day as an excuse to let normal chores go, get cozy, and do some reading you've postponed for too long. Read something you enjoy to celebrate the day, and share a good story with someone else. It will make the day one of the best for everyone involved.

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