Living Unabridged

I've never met a parent, homeschooler or not, that didn't want their child to love reading. Even parents who didn't particularly love reading themselves seem to instinctively know that reading gives a child an advantage in life.

And what parent doesn't want their child to be a leader? Isn't that our goal: to raise future adults who will lead, who will change their world?

The quote "readers are leaders" seems to be a corruption of something Harry Truman (33rd President of the United States) said:

Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.

There have been studies that tell us that vocabulary is the greatest predictor of later academic success. One of the best ways to increase vocabulary? Yes, reading.

Other reasons to encourage reading:

1. Reading helps you travel the world.

2. You can time travel while reading.

3. Readers are introduced to historical figures and events.

4. Reading can be a solace during illness or loss.

5. Favorite books become like friends or family.

So, now that we've dealt with "Why", we'll spend the next four days talking about the "How":

Day 2: Be a Reader Yourself

Day 3: Books Should Be Accessible (plus bonus tips for teaching phonics)

Day 4: Be Together (thoughts on reading aloud)

Day 5: Be Delighted

One of my goals in blogging is to encourage both parents and children to be readers. Reading isn't the property of the few, the elite. Reading is an equalizer. Books or reading material are available almost universally.

I hope the encouragment of these posts and the booklists you can find here, encourage you.

Let's all be raising readers. (Even if the reader is ourselves.)

Homeschool Resources:

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