Reading the TV

As much as we try not to, nearly every mother has had that crazy day where we turn on the TV to "babysit" our kids. Sometimes we just need that half an hour to finish making dinner or pay the bills.

My friend was telling me the other night about a study that shows that children who watch television with the closed captioning improved their vocabulary and reading fluency. Obviously, our children still shouldn't watch excessive amounts of television, but next time you turn the TV on don't feel guilty--just turn on the closed captioning as well.

For additional ideas on using the television to promote reading with your children, read Read to Me: Raising kids who love to Read by Bernice E. Cullinan.