The Nerd Must Agitate

It is only March, and I have already read numerous articles on how to get your kids to read. I have no problem with this-it falls in line with my world domination plan to make everybody read books like I do. However, every single article I have read left out an EXTREMELY important part: there was no mention of role modeling for your kids and being a reader yourself.
My love of books is becoming infamous-I mention it all the time on my blogs. However, how many of you know that in addtion to being willing to steal bookshelves from my friends, I also used to get grounded from the library during middle school? My mom knew one of the librarians, the librarian introduced me to the staff, and when my grades dipped (which was often) mom would come in every Friday to check if I had been to the library. All the staff knew to ask me if I should be there. Everyone one wonders at what point in my young life I cursed my mother under my breath? This was time. Damn the woman for being so resourceful.
That is my background attitude towards reading, and I cringe when there are great articles about getting young children to read but what about older children? What about yourself? As a parent/aunt/uncle/adult in a child's life, you role model a hundred behaviors. We are advised to eat healthy, lay off the drugs and booze, watch our potty mouths, exercise, show kindness to others, etc. etc. Not one article I have read this year on READING has even mentioned the fact that if you want to raise readers, be a reader. ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH! Very loud internet scream.
So you aren't a reader? I find this incredible, but I know it to be true. So here is how to be a reader, or at least fake it really good.
1. Despite the nerd connotations, a lot of grown-ups I know wish they were readers, but think it is to late for them. Those adults books look long, and intimidating. So who says you have to start there? Hit the picture books. "Where The Wild Things Are", "Bear Snores On", and "Make Way For Ducklings" are classics in their own right and I have read them countless times-without Asa, even though I got them for him. Babar, Frog and Toad, The Bernenstein Bears, and Arthur have all been in my personal library for the last 8 years-Asa is 2. I read them again and again, and I feel no shame.
2. Feel free to self-graduate at anytime. Sure Harry Potter got all the press, but great Children's Literature has existed at least for 100 years, depending on your point of view ("The Wizard of Oz" and "Peter Pan" were written just for children). Some of my favorites that I own and re-read often are The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, books by Roald Dahl (of "James and The Giant Peach" fame) "Gentle Ben" by Walt Morey, and Encyclopedia Brown mysteries.
3. Okay, you can't fake reading. If you don't like it, you don't like it. Got a hobby? Get a magazine subscription. Kids don't import importance to the reading literature, they only see the actions, and I know this by experience. I was in middle school (of library grounding fame) before I realized my dad didn't read much. Could have fooled me-I always saw him reading...a magazine. Ohhhhhh. He has had subscriptions to 3-5 monthly, magazines at any given time and granted I can't sit and read about hunting, cars, or boats with the same passion, he did role model to me and my sister the act of Reading.
So what's the point? I mean, really, is reading that important once you graduate college, and prove you know your subject matter? Sure, kids who read, are less likely to do a host of bad behaviors and get better grades (unless it is me we are talking about) but I am past the years of peer pressure getting me to drink-I do it on my own now. So why be a reader? Well, forgetting all the great stories out there, when Nick and I went to the Grand Canyon, I researched the area and found lots of fun stuff to do. When I felt bad after Asa was born, a little reading got me to the doctor's for post-partum. When Asa looked funny, a little reading determined his problem was genetics and nothing serious (ha-ha). Seriously, we never stop reading. There is always something that maybe we need more info., whether it be a new career, a work related project, or the desire to learn for learning's sake. Wouldn't it be nice to set our kids up with those success skills?
(What am I reading now you ask? "Omoo" by Herman Melville. With a small kid running around, it takes a while. Plus I read the newspaper daily and 5 magazines-1 weekly and 4 monthlies.)