What do Jenna Bush, tennis star Nicole Vaidisova and Disney Channel's Dylan and Cole Sprouse have in common?
Answer: they are all part of the 2008 initiative to get kids to read. May is "Get Caught Reading" month, promoted by Association of American Publishers. In addition to the named celebrities who are promoting reading, politicians are using the event as an opportunity to be photographed for the "Get Caught Reading" posters which are sent to libraries and schools in their home state.
Educators approve of this campaign as well, and in some areas the local media features students reading their favorite books. For more information about "Get Caught Reading", check out the website: www.getcaughtreading.org.
Rochelle Melander, a local writing coach who inspires teen girls to "Write Now!", acknowledges that adults need to turn on to reading too. In this computer age we're surrounded with more and more words, but people tend to get "news bites" rather than read in-depth stories behind the headlines.
We're too busy to read, many of us say. Melander has a number of tips to help all of us become more frequent readers. She shared this in her most recent newsletter.
First, make sure you have books! Support and use your public library. It offers all of us equal access to books. That said, it’s helpful to have a few books of your own. I encourage clients to develop a small library of must-read professional books and resources and a stack of fun or interesting books.
• Keep your books in sight—seeing them might remind you to read.
• Always keep a book in the bathroom.
• Keep a book in the car (or on your person) for the times you end up waiting. This turns the dentist’s waiting room or the time you spend waiting for kids at soccer or ballet into reading time.
Next, find the time to read.
• Get up 30 minutes earlier than your family and use the time for a quiet breakfast and reading.
• Read while you exercise. But be safe! Though I’ve seen others read on treadmills and elliptical gliders (and while walking outside! Yikes!), I only recommend reading on a stationary bicycle.
• Commute to work and read on the bus or train.
• Read during your lunch hour.
• Set aside work time each week to catch up on the reading you do for your profession.
• Replace one hour of email or computer time with reading.
• Tape or TiVo all television shows—and get back 20 minutes per hour show to read!
• Stop watching television a little earlier (or start watching a little later), and take back an hour or more for reading.
• Dedicate one afternoon (or day) per week (or month) as a reading retreat—and head out to a coffee shop, park, or library to read.
Consider the audio option. Audio books make it possible to “read” while running, driving, cleaning the house, crafting, cooking dinner and more.
Give it time. Reading is a habit that takes time to establish—like exercising and eating well. My final bit of advice will help you ease into it: start with a book that rocks your world. Don’t try to devour War and Peace if you haven’t read anything since college. You’ll just get frustrated. Instead, pick up a book that makes you forget the time. You’ll get hooked. I promise!
To find out more about Rochelle Melander's motivational enterprises, check out her website: www.rightnowcoach.com.
