March 2nd is officially Read Across America Day. This week, people around the country will celebrate the joy and power of reading. Students at BMS will participate in daily STRIPES lessons to engage in reading in different ways. Here are some tips for how to emphasize the importance of reading in your home:

• Keep books everywhere you spend time. Put them in the car, in every room of the house and tuck them in backpacks and purses. Make them easily accessible.

• Visit the library often. Knowing how to use the library and learning the benefits of a library fosters a love of reading as well as a genuine respect for the services libraries provide.

• Get caught reading. Children imitate what they see the adults around them do. Whether they see you read a magazine, newspaper or novel, let them know reading is the cool thing to do.

• Read to your children. No matter their age, reading aloud strengthens their vocabulary and language skills. It also opens up opportunity for discussion.

• Have your children read to you, too. You never know what you might learn!

--from nationaldaycalendar.com