Gojoewesley.com- Public Speaker

March 2 was Read Across Day. The first Read Across America Day was started back in 1998 by a school teacher and about 40 seniors in Oregon.  Every since then it has been picking up momentum. The purpose of Read Across America Day is to motivate children across America to read. Tons of research has shown that kids who read are more motivated and go on to do better in life.

Read Across America Day is also the birthday of legendary author Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel. He was born in 1904 and his works are very much relevant and popular today as they were then.

I had the pleasure of being The Cat in the Hat a few years back as part of The Huddle Up Foundation of Houston for Theater Under The Stars at M. D. Anderson Child Cancer Center in Houston. The Cat in the Hat is the central character in many of Dr. Seuss’s works.

That’s me in the Big Red Bow Tie.

I have a daughter who is about to turn two years old next month.  I make time during the week to sit down and read to her. At first I wasn’t really sure if she was getting it but as we kept going it seemed to sink in. It is amazing to watch the action of learning take place in a child. She is not at the point where she is reading just yet but her recognition of words, pictures and sounds is amazing. I know like everybody else I think my child is a genius. Well, she might just be.

In my opinion there are only a few true gifts or provisions a parent can sincerely give their kids that will enable them to excel in life.  I believe the best gift is an education. Reading to your kids is the first step.

With an education they can make better financial choices, release unbounded levels of creativity, create their own wealth and God willing choose a great spouse.  Although that last one is subject to other factors.

Just as my parents pushed me to get smarter so should we push our kids.

Besides, my kid might be President one day. It could happen.  Until then, I’m reading to her.