Resource Thursday - Reading is Beyond Fundamental

Reading to your child is important - let's just get that fact out of the way.  Prior to working at Hope Cottage, I was the Development Director for Literacy Instruction for Texas, a local nonprofit that teaches adults to read.  I have seen firsthand the hardship suffered by adults who cannot even read "The Cat in the Hat".  Adult illiteracy translates into decreased earning potential, sub par job skills, a higher chance of illiteracy in children of adults who can't read...  think about all the things you couldn't do if you couldn't read... no driver's license, can't fill out a job application, order off a menu.  And believe it or not, there are many college graduates who cannot read beyond a 3rd grade level if at all.

Do you know the benchmark used by the state of Texas (among other states) to determine how many prison cells they will need to build in the future?  By the number of children who are not reading on grade level in the third grade!  The greatest indicator for a child's success is having a parent who read to him/her.

It is agreed - reading is important to your child.  Here are some resources for parents on reading and your child.  Please share and READ TO YOUR CHILD EVERYDAY!

From Sixty Second Parent
   Reading to Your Newborn
   The Benefits of Reading to Your Preschooler
   Books Your Two Year Old Will Love
   Books Your Three Year Old Will Love
   Why You Should Read It Again

Where can I find "good" books to read my child? You might be lucky enough to have friends who give their favorite children's books as birthday and new baby presents. Your favorite childhood books are another way to start. Also check out Newbery and Caldecott award winners. The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Reading Rockets offers another resource for book suggestions, including themed booklists and author interviews.

Check out Literacy Lava  - a downloadable PDF erupting with tips for parents and teachers, suggesting ideas for incorporating literacy and learning into our every day.

Hope Cottage is the oldest nonprofit, non sectarian adoption agency in Dallas. Since 1918 Hope Cottage has been building and nurturing strong families through counseling, education and adoption services.


If you have questions about adoption, please call Hope Cottage at 214.526.8721.

If you are a woman facing an unwanted pregnancy and would like to talk to someone about adoption, please call Hope Cottage at 1.800.944.4464 or 214.404.4546.