If you randomly read my blog and have kids, I am BEGGING you to pay attention to this one.

In fact, if you don't want to read the entire thing I will give you the ending right now and you can stop reading...

No, not when you feel like it.  Not sometimes.  Every.  Single.  Day.  From the day you bring them home from the hospital.

Why then?  They can't even read yet.  
Kids are learning more in the first 3 years of their lives than any other time.  They are learning all kinds of things from books even when they are newborns.

My kids don't like to sit still for books. 
You're the parent.  Make them.  Make it part of the routine.  Read to them in the bathtub.  Read to them before bed.

But they watch TV in their rooms before bed to help them fall asleep.
Get the cuss word, cuss word television OUT of your kid's room!!!!!!!!!

What do I read to them?
Anything.  Board books.  Short books.  Long books.  Books with no words and just pictures.  Rhyming books.  Dr. Suess.  The same book every day.  A different book every day.  The Bible.  The Great American Novel.  Read anything.

How do you even know it will make a difference?
You can just go ahead and trust me on this one but if you're interested just Google it or I can sit down with you and give you and earful on just how I do know this but you're probably better off Googling it.
 

I know I should but I just don't always want to because I get tired.
Here's a conversation with my brother:
Tom-Do you really think I want to read to Philip and Lily every single night?  I get so tired.  Sometimes they want 4 books.  I don't wanna read 4 damn book.  I wanna put them to bed and have a beer.  But I do because it's good for them.

Tom and Danielle have been reading to their kids every day since they were born.  Completely taking the biased aunt side out of it and putting on my teacher hat...these kids are SO smart.  Philip can read.  He's not even 4 1/2 yet.  Not 3 letter CVC words, actual 5, 6, 7 letter words.  Lily speaks in 5 words sentences at 23 months.  

Now, I can attribute this to many different excellent parenting techniques but the biggest one...THEY READ TO THEIR KIDS ALL THE TIME.


Now...
I normally don't beg for comments but I would love for you to give your own testimonials on reading to your kids or what you have seen on this subject.  So, comment on this blog...or on the Facebook post!