D.E.A.R. Day!

Celebrate "Drop Everything And Read" Day by taking the time today to read to and with your child today!

This day was created to honor beloved children's author Beverly Cleary...maybe most famous for her "Ramona" books.  Ramona is a child that children can relate to.  Her worries, her mischief, and her proud moments.  What better way to celebrate an author than by dropping everything and reading?

My family and I have a tradition we started many years ago.  Most months we will have what we call a "Read-a-thon".  I bring home a huge stack of books from the library, we make some yummy snacks, and we spend the evening reading.  Nothing fancy but it is a time we all enjoy together.

Our Christmas Read-a-thon books

When my daughters were younger I would read aloud to them part of the time, then they could look at books the rest of the time. At first our read-a-thons were only 45 minutes or so.  I always wanted to keep it a positive experience so when they were "done" we were finished for the evening.  But as the years have progressed and we continue to "Drop Everything and Read" some read-a-thon nights last well over two hours.  We sometimes just read picture books, other times we read whatever "chapter book" we want.  But we spend time reading together every month.  It has become one of our favorite family traditions!

So celebrate D.E.A.R. by making reading enjoyable--something your family looks forward to!  And remember, it's a great idea to read aloud to children who know how to read on their own!

To learn more about D.E.A.R. visit the official website.