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February is I Love to Read Month, and as promoters of the written word, we applaud the people and organizations throughout the community who encourage children and adults to read.

Research shows that reading skills are not only important to a child’s success in school, but also to their success later in life at work and in society.

The statistics about reading are sobering.

According to the National Institute for Literacy, the National Center for Adult Literacy, The Literacy Company and the U.S. Census Bureau, currently 45 million Americans cannot read above a fifth-grade level.

Equally as sobering, 85% of juvenile offenders have problems reading, and three out of five people in American prisons can’t read.

Want your child to live a life away from crime that can land them in prison? It appears a love of reading can be a start to that prevention.

If reading is not already a part of your family’s lifestyle, consider these tips:

• Start with turning off the TV.

• Take a simple 15 or 20 minutes a day, and sit down and read together. Reading not only expands vocabulary and knowledge but can also open the door to imagination. It can be a great way to bond with your child.

• When you’re not reading together, let your child see that you enjoy reading on your own — whether it be a newspaper, magazine or book.

Though we may all be busy, we must make it a priority. Let your child see that reading is fun and enjoyable. More than likely, if they see that mom or dad likes to read, then maybe they will try it out, too.

• Take advantage of all of the local resources available at area schools and at the Albert Lea Public Library. The teachers in the Albert Lea school district and the librarians at the public library are wonderful examples of how to make reading fun.

The focus on reading continues into March with the National Education Association’s Read Across America on March 2.