I recently learned that growing up, my four siblings and I read a lot more than your typical kids being raised in the late 90s and early 2000s.
My parents read to us every single night before bedtime. If we were misbehaving, we would get books taken away. (You NEVER wanted to get your books taken away).
We would all pile into one of our twin beds: the four of us and either my mom or dad. There was always an argument of who got to sit where, who was closest, and who got to turn the pages.
My dad did different voices for every single character; it was incredible.
He made the book come alive.
As we got older, those nightly bedtime stories turned into chapter books. Audiobooks lulled us to sleep.
Goodnight, Moon turned into Magic Treehouse and Secrets of Droon.
And Harry Potter? Well, Harry Potter stayed with us and still does to this day.
Every single summer we did the summer reading program. The more you read, the more exciting prizes you were able to earn. As I got older, I began to get annoyed about being forced to do the program. I felt like I had grown out of it.
But the thing is, I could have stopped. "Forced" is a bit dramatic.
I loved to read.
Correction: I love to read.
There is something so personal about reading and being read to.
Flipping through pages and entering a world that's entirely new.
The feeling of learning to read and knowing that you yourself are capable of telling the stories now.
I truly believe that reading so early helped me develop a strong vocabulary, a passion for learning, and an intense curiosity.
In my family, we rarely did video games, played on the computer, or watched an excessive amount of TV.
First off, we didn't have cable and even when we did do these things, we had a 30-minute timer.
I totally resented it, mostly because I wanted to binge play Raft Wars on Miniclip, and partly because all my friends had unlimited technology time.
Looking back, I am so incredibly grateful. Don't get me wrong, iPads and Wii's are incredible toys and useful in so many situations.
But reading to your children at a young age is going to have a lasting impact far bigger than any video game will ever have.
The stories from my childhood will linger in my memories for years to come.
And while the authors and title may fade, my love of reading will always remain strong and resolute.
