First Lady Sharon Davis and READ California Offer Tips for More Reading During 2002.

News Editors

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 28, 2001

Losing weight, making a career change and getting organized are some of the more common resolutions that Americans make at the New Year. First Lady Sharon Davis and READ California have a better idea. Why not resolve to make reading a top priority for children in 2002?

"Parents are already aware of the importance of reading," First Lady Sharon Davis said. "We just need to show them how to make reading a part of their active lifestyles."

Studies show parents are struggling to make time to read to their children. In an effort to help parents and caregivers become active participants in improving children's reading habits in 2002, First Lady Sharon Davis and the state of California's READ California campaign are offering the following tips:

      --  Start early: Parents have reported that reading out loud to
        young children teaches them words and sounds they will need to
        read themselves. More important, they learn that reading is
        fun, and that reading time is shared with caring adults.
          Parent Tip: Children copy what they see; while they are young
        you should set an example by turning off the TV and reading a
        book or magazine in front of your child.

      --  Make a time and place for reading: Most American children
        watch an average of three hours of TV every day. It shouldn't
        be too hard to use some of that time to read with your
        children. Many parents find that bedtime is ideal -- your
        child calms down and you have a pleasant experience just
        before bed.
          Parent Tip: Establish a regularly scheduled reading time or
        library visit with your children.

      --  Make it a habit: When you know that your regular reading time
        will be interrupted by sports or family activities, find
        another time to read that day. Let your children know how
        important reading time is to you.
          Parent Tip: Create a challenge and reward system by having
        your children read a certain number of pages or books a week.

      --  Read together: Your child feels special when you are sitting
        close together reading. Young children can learn to follow the
        words as you read. As your children learn to read, you can
        take turns reading pages. If you get in the habit of reading
        together, you can sit nearby as older children read their own
        books.
          Parent Tip: Have children help out by having them read recipes
        to you as you prepare meals.

      --  Make it fun: When your children are young, you can read
        stories, songs or poems aloud, making different voices for the
        different people. As your children learn to read for
        themselves, help them make different voices as they read out
        loud to you.
          Parent Tip: Ask your child to join in, or make the noises that
        go with the animals or the action in a book. For older kids,
        have children read books that have been made into movies. Take
        them to the movie as a reward after they have finished reading
        the book.

      --  Remember how important it is: Studies show that kids who read
        just 15 minutes a day see an average of more than a million
        words a year. If they read an hour, they'll see four million
        words. They read words and understand ideas that they will
        never hear on TV or in conversation. They'll learn skills
        they'll need to understand their schoolbooks. In fact, reading
        with your kids every day is the most important thing you can
        do to help them succeed.
          Parent Tip: Read everything to your children, from grocery
        lists to newspaper advertisements. This way they will see that
        reading is an important part of daily activities.

For additional tips on reading with your children or for more information on the READ California campaign logon to www.readcalifornia.org.

About READ California

READ California is a state-sponsored campaign to encourage all Californians -- parents, neighbors, businesses and organizations -- to do their part to promote reading achievement.

Administered by the Governor's Office of the Secretary for Education, READ California is a result of legislation authored by Education Secretary Kerry Mazzoni and enacted by the State Legislature during the 1999 Special Legislative Session on Education.

Corporate sponsors include Scholastic Inc. and Barnes and Noble.