Monday, May 5, 2008

Guttenberg Technology Is Still Important…

Although we are moving into a new era of education and learning, centered on technology with the use of computers; books still play an integral role in fostering intellect and creativity. Countless studies of brain development contain many facts and figures regarding the benefits of reading at early ages.

Children today spend too much of their time in front of the TV, or playing video games. While these activities themselves may not be all bad, they infringe upon time spent fostering creativity, and the use of their imagination.

Even adults tend to spend countless hours in front of the television, and their children likewise. Putting down the remote can lead to a variety of other activities such as walking, reading, painting, or playing with your children. I bet if we all took a good look at how much time we spend in front of the television every week, we could get a good idea as to where all our time could go towards other activities.

Seven ideas to foster reading in the home:
1. Start a book club with family, friends, and neighbors (maybe with your children)
2. Read with/to your children at least once a day (or as often as you can)
3. Try cutting out TV in increments (maybe allow more time in the winter months, and less in the summer months)
4. Along with television, try limiting video games
5. Encourage children to write about what they read (try this yourself)
6. Give books and magazine subscriptions as gifts to your children, family and friends
7. Reward reading time, and take part in school reading programs like Book It!(for more on this program click on the following link: http://www.bookitprogram.com/

My goal every month is to read one book. That is twelve each year. Some years I make my goal and some years I don’t. Taking a little more time to read every day soon becomes an intellectual exercise you won’t want to miss. Our imagination and creative ability is nurtured through this effort called reading…

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