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The love of reading can begin before the baby breathes her first breath.

My five children all love reading or being read to. The eldest son is now twenty-one and is almost never seen without a book. My youngest daughter is four and is practicing her skills by making up stories for new books or "reading" familiar ones. My home is filled with books appropriate for all age ranges and literally are in every room of the home.

There are a few things parents can do to create a life-long love of reading in your child...and you can start now.

1. Turn off the TV, computer games, DVDs and every other electronic device and read together.

2. Take your child to the local city or county library and get them a library card in their name.

3. Put a small bookshelf in their bedroom or family room filled with books appropriate for them.

4. Take your child to independent, used, and branded bookstores, book fairs, or garage sales to pick up favorites. You will find some great ones at reasonable prices, look at the bargain sections at Borders and Barnes & Noble.

5. Use the resources in the library to select age appropriate selections based on age, reading level, or award winners.

6. Give books to your children as gifts, you will be surprised at how they will enjoy them.

7. Start a family book club or neighborhood book club!

8. Let your children see you read.

My children all were read to while in the womb. My oldest sons heard everything from novels to textbooks as I was attending college while carrying them. My youngest daughters would kick as I read familiar favorites like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Good Night Moon." It amazed me how they would respond to the familiar cadence of the stories once they were newborns, they remembered our nightly ritual.

The benefits of reading are paid back over a lifetime. The children now are more apt to pick up a video game than a book if they aren't introduced to the many adventures awaiting them between the pages. I encourage parents to introduce them to great books that can include the following for the toddler set include:

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - really any of his books

2. Goodnight Moon - a classic by Margaret Wise Brown, great for bedtime

3. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - by Laura Joffe Numeroff (this is the best of her books)

4. All Fall Down - a great board book by Helen Oxenbury (my copy is 18 years old)

5. Please Baby Please - this is a great book written by Spike & Tonya Lee with fantastic illustrations, it reminded me of trying to get my little girl to do anything especially go to bed

6. Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long - this is one of the girls' favorite bedtime books, it is a less materialistic version of the classic song, make up your own cadence and baby will love it

Reading is a simple pleasure that doesn't need batteries or an electrical outlet. Books are portable and timeless, give one to your baby today!

Learn more about this author, Taye Foster Bradshaw.
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