Gearing up for Summer Reading

I was on my new school campus yesterday, and you could feel it...the summer buzz. Teachers are talking next year room assignments and clean up, kids are starting to sport tans as they begin swim lessons.

And you, as a parent, are scrambling to find ways to keep your kids busy for close to 10 weeks.

Maybe you have enrolled them in a number of camps, or drama lessons, or even tutoring.

Just remember to stick to it in reading. Make it a commitment. Either a regular time every day (that works best for me) or a list of the books you want to read by the end of a certain time. I hesitate to say by the end of the summer, because if you are like me, you will have every intention of getting it done by pacing and reading a little at a time, but you will suddenly get to August and realize you still need to get started.

How do you squeeze it in?

Have books in the car...for trips, for shuttling..."steal" those moments.

Instead of the TV on at breakfast, put their books next to their cereal...I know they aren't getting up and rushing off, so that's perfect to start the day.

Take books in Ziplocs to the pool. When they have to take a break, have them read. Look at all the adults!

Buy them some kid magazines -- I always load up on magazine reading in the summer because it's light and fun, rather than saddling myself with a heavy novel.

Any way you do it, DO IT! Please don't let even one day go by without handing them a book and excitedly saying, "Let's find out what happens today!!"

Keep pumping the positive, and stay committed. The summer will fly by, and they will have reading to show for it!