Making reading part of your family's day this National Reading Month

Mara Bellaby, Florida Today
·1 min read

Twenty minutes a day.

That's what every parent is being encouraged to set aside to read to their child.

If each day contains 1,440 minutes, then we're talking about 1% of your day. That's time even the busiest of parents can find.

March is National Reading Month, and the Early Learning Coalition of Brevard County celebrated that with a reading of "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss. I was one of the lucky ones invited to don the much-loved Cat in the Hat top hat and participate.

March is National Reading Month. To bring attention to the importance of reading, seven members of the community made a promotional video of them reading Dr. Seuss at the Early Learning Coalition of Brevard County, in Melbourne. Photo shows a reading of Dr. Seuss. Left to right, Caitlin Rice, Board Vice Chair of Early Learning Coalition of Brevard, and Laura Gambino, CEO. There will also be a Dr. Seuss themed reading event at Family Promise of Brevard from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, March 10.

"Reading to your child for 20 minutes every day not only fosters a love for reading but for success far beyond the pages of a book," said Caitlin Rice, vice chair of the Early Learning Coalition.

Laura Gambino, CEO of Early Learning Coalition, urged parents to "make reading special." Carve out a place and time for reading each day, she said.

It's time well spent, for sure: "My tricks are not bad," said the Cat in the Hat.

"Why, we can have lots of good fun, if you wish."

Executive Editor Mara Bellaby can be reached at mbellaby@floridatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Make reading to your child a new habit this March National Reading Month