“DEAR” stands for “Drop Everything and Read.” During DEAR time, everyone in the family sits down for some uninterrupted reading time. The TV goes off. The telephone goes unanswered.

If you'd like to try to have some DEAR time with your family, here are some suggestions:

Be prepared. Make sure everyone has something to read. You may want to plan a trip to the library. You may also want to keep some interesting magazines or books on hand.

Let everyone know. You might want to hold a family meeting to plan your first DEAR times. If you have a family calendar, write in DEAR time. This helps your children see that reading time is just as important as dance lessons or athletic practice.

Start small. Many families start with a once-weekly, half-hour session. As family members get the reading habit, DEAR time becomes more frequent.

Take part. DEAR only works if everyone reads. So grab a mystery novel or the latest best-seller and curl up for a few minutes of reading yourself.

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