I am an unabashed book-lover. This photo is my leadership library; nearly 300 volumes strong. My enjoyment of reading is not a recent phenomonon, though. Even as a child, I was a voracious reader.
When we found out I was pregnant with our first child back in 1979, my husband and I started buying “Little Golden Books” each week at the grocery store. Both of our children had well-stocked libraries in their nurseries. Every school Book Fair added more titles to their collections. I would much rather have gone without the latest styles than to turn down the latest books. To this day, we still have all of their books in storage for any eventual grandchildren to enjoy.
I have no doubt that my husband and I set the example of how important and enjoyable reading can be. I am just as certain than our children’s love of reading is a key ingredient to their academic and career success.
Last night, NBC Nightly News featured a story about an organization providing a very valuable service: helping parents connect with their children from great distances while also cultivating a love of reading. I was so moved, I wanted to share it with you, too. My hope is that you will research the links below and consider making a financial donation to support their work.
United Through Reading is a non-profit organization providing the opportunity for families to bridge long distances thr0ugh reading. It provides DVDs to children of their parents or grandparents reading books to them. Developing a love of reading is key to a child’s academic and social growth. Parental bonding is vital to a child’s emotional stability and sense of security. This program helps maintain these important parent-child (or grandparent-grandchild) bonds in spite of great distances that might be betweem them.
There are three United Through Reading programs that provide this opportunity. The following information is quoted from the organization’s website. Click on each link to read more and watch a video of that program in action.
“One of the most difficult things a child can experience is having a parent deployed to a war zone for an indeterminate period of time. The United Through Reading® Military Program helps ease the stress of separation for military families by having deployed parents read children’s books aloud via DVD for their child to watch at home.”
“Nearly half of all grandparents live at least 100 miles away from their grandchildren. With the United Through Reading Grandparent Program, grandparents can still maintain those special relationships with their grandchildren through the joys of reading aloud to them on DVD. The Grandparent Program allows grandparents to read a special book for their grandchildren and weave in family legacies while being recorded on DVD. In addition to the bonding experience, grandparents serve as a reading role model and encourage a love of reading.”
“One in ten American children has a parent who is under penal supervision – incarcerated, on probation or on parole. Children of incarcerated parents are one of the most at risk populations of school age children in the United States. The stress of parental incarceration has been found to increase children’s fears, anger, sadness, loneliness, depression and emotional withdrawal. The United Through Reading Transitions Program brings parents and children together through the healthy and affirming activity of reading aloud together.”
I hope you will join me in supporting this good work. Help a soldier nurture a relationship with his child, even while deployed far away from home. Imagine Daddy reading a bedtime story on a DVD, even though he may be in a war zone. Help children of incarcerated parents develop a love of reading and see their parents in a more positive light. Help grandparents share important memories and life lessons through sharing favorite books.
I know how I felt when my son was deployed to Afghanistan and then Iraq. I can only imagine how a little boy or girl must feel if Mom or Dad are away in a dangerous place for six months or a year. Help these children and their parents stay in touch. Today’s technology can do the job. Your dollars can help make it happen. Give here.
Note: Give wisely. Charity Navigator has assigned its highest rating of four stars to United Through Reading. For more information, click here.
