Ever since I was young, my parents have encouraged and supported of love of reading and learning. At my house, we would get ready for bed at eight o'clock, and then we read until nine. This hour of reading time became a privilege; taking away this privilege became an effective punishment. As I got older my dad began to suggest books for me to read, as well as for my mom to read. We'd read these books and discuss them as a family, and references to books many of us have read became common. We now have a family of readers, from my parents to my seven-year-old sister; even in college, reading before bed is a habit I still enjoy (even if sometimes it has to be my Statics textbook). My dad taught us that if you can read, you can learn anything. It's an important part of my family that I plan to continue when I have a family of my own because of the value I see in instilling a love of reading in children.
