From the Wildcat Weekly - January 25, 2024

 Engaging with your student about the books they are reading can demonstrate the value you place on reading. This conversation might start with the book but can create a safe space for adult/child bonding which could lead to talking about what happened during the school day, or feelings they have about other things in their life unrelated to the book. It might involve the books they bring home from school(first and second graders) or books you have in your home or from the public library (kindergarten). Establishing a regular time for reading or sharing books is also a way to proactively promote reading over screen usage as opposed to requiring your student to read with screen time as a reward. If your student wants to read or look at books independently, you can use this as an excuse to put your own screen away and read your book. Our young students notice everything and I cannot emphasize enough how important the habits and rituals you establish now can pay off when your student is older, more independent and more influenced by the outside world.