Family Literacy Day shines a light on the importance of reading during childhood

Ariana Birnbaum reads with her nine-year-old daughter Eden Brown as she puts her to bed in Toronto on Wednesday, July 25, 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle Siu)

Statistics show almost 40 per cent of Canadian youth don’t have suitable literacy skills, but local efforts on Friday – Family Literacy Day -- and beyond hope to change that.

Libraries across the country are putting on events all week to try to stoke the fire of literacy at home.

It might surprise you how big an impact parents' reading habits have on their kids. More than half of kids who are frequent readers have parents who read five to seven days a week.

“Taking time every day for that learning activity will enhance those literacy skills for children, and for parents too, and it sets that example that it is important,” said Beth Clinton, the regional librarian for central P.E.I.

“Because, of course, kids do mirror what their parents do, and place importance on what their parents place importance on.”

One Charlottetown author has grabbed onto the importance of sharing reading between parents and kids.

Marlene Bryenton writes children’s books explaining medical topics to kids. With the help of her sponsors, she’s given away her books at schools across the region.

“It opens an opportunity for dialogue between parents and children,” said Bryenton. “It is discussed in class, but this is a second chance for the child to talk about the book.”

As an author, Bryenton said she sees the impact reading has on kids firsthand and knows parents can help.

“They have to encourage their children to use their imaginations,” said Bryenton. “I've discovered since I started doing my school presentations that children are so smart, and they're like little sponges."

Studies show children whose parents do family literacy activities with them score 10 points higher on standardized reading tests.

Libraries and other groups run programs to help improve literacy but the process doesn’t always have to be formal.

“There are lots of literacy skills you can pick up at home. Even just as you’re reading a book, you’re talking about the different word sounds and everything,” said Clinton.

“Even things like baking with kids, reading recipes, that sort of thing, that’s all part of literacy, so just to emphasize those as you’re going through your day.”

As part of Family Literacy Day, librarians and authors are encouraging everyone to take time to read with their child, talk about a book, and develop those literacy skills that will help them through the rest of their lives.