Simply put, we want our children to be able to sound out words, understand what they read and read smoothly. More than simply gaining the skill, however, we are trying to help our children gain a love of reading through practice. Reading to our children 30 minutes every night is one excellent way to jump-start a love of reading. The love of reading is an internal motivation to read that comes from the mind, heart and passion to learn through books. Loving to read comes from an intellectual curiosity and an imagination that are aroused. Truly, books can take you anywhere you want to go and even help you learn about things you never knew you wanted to learn. The Most Important Book! The Bible is the most important book for Christians. While we focus on motivating our children to read, let us not forget to motivate our children to read the most important of all books: the Bible. There is great value in reading to our children! This is in addition to having our children learn to read independently. Research shows that those who were read to often as children are more likely to grow up loving to read. Reading to our children has enormous short-term and long-term payoffs. Reading the Bible to our children regularly has even more benefits. It can help them develop a positive relationship with God and a better understanding of His way of life. Plus it can provide a lifelong love of Bible reading. Wonderful Childhood Memories The sound of the parent's voice is recognizable to a baby even while still in the womb. It is the most pleasant of sounds to a child. Sitting on the parent's lap and hearing an exciting story from a children's Bible can be a wonderful childhood memory. The child can associate the warmth and love with the reading of God's Word. This human touch is very different from passively watching the same story on DVD. When a child gets too big for a lap, try sitting on the floor, on the couch or under a tree for a Bible story. Don't forget the bedtime ritual of a Bible story. Just because the child can read the Bible himself or herself does not mean that he or she should no longer be read to. As the child gets older, reading a chapter or two from the Bible together each evening can be a springboard for meaningful discussion. Most Beloved of All Books As parents, let's not forget to do this important thing for our children! Reading the Bible together with your children is one of the most important of all experiences. Together, parents and children experience new adventures and understandings through the pages of the most beloved of all books. Cuddle up with your child and read the Bible! UN