DEAR - Raising Readers

I remember when Mister and Ladybug were about 20 months I noticed it was really quiet in the playroom.  I had been cleaning up the kitchen after breakfast and didn't remember the last time I heard a peep.  You know that fear when all is quiet and you are scared to see what surprise(s) your children have left.  I dropped my dish towel and did a mom sprint into the playroom to find them reading.  They were surrounded by books and enjoying their library. 

A few days ago I realized that that kind of reading hasn't happened in a long time.  Mister and Ladybug love to read and we read as a family before rest and bed, but I haven't "caught" them reading in what feels like forever.  I want to bring a strong focus back to reading for enjoyment, so we are starting our own little D.E.A.R (Drop Everything And Read) program our family's first goal for 2012. 

I planned on reading for about 15 minutes, but it lasted almost 45 minutes.  Each child read independently and took turns sitting in my lap with a book of his or her choice.