Million Page Mission: Now Accepting Applications

My one year old Cher has recently become obsessed with books. She has her favorites that she plops in my lap anytime I'm sitting down and takes the whole process quite seriously. Most of her books are only about 10 pages long and she makes me read them over and over. But she's quite emotional about the whole ordeal. Every time I turn a page she gets upset, seeming to know that a page turn signifies the approaching last page. As I get closer to the end, she gets more hysterical and by the time I reach the last page, she's a wailing, sobbing fit and demands I go back to the beginning. So we read a lot of books, and not many last pages.

It seemed fitting that Cher accompany me to an event last week sponsored by Lunchables and First Book. Lunchables has organized a Million Page Mission. Basically, for everyone who comits to read at least 100 pages to their child during the back-to-school season, Lunchables will donate $1 to First Book, an inspired non-profit organization that gives books to children who have none. Television actress Lori Loughlin was at the event doing a book reading to a group of school children and I got to talk with her about the Million Page Mission before the event. She's the one who played Jesse's girlfriend in Full House and is currently in the new 90210 series. Lori has children at home as well and I really enjoyed talking to her about our families and the event. I've also dedicated to work on my tan after seeing her perfectly bronzed skin. She's very sweet and the kind of person who you'd love to spend a day at the beach with.



But back to the event - I easily read 100 pages a day to Cher, but her books only have about 5 words per page so it's not too hard. I think it's a great mission, however, and was really surprised by some of the facts I learned. For example, recent studies find that only one in 300 children living in low-income areas has access to an age appropriate book. First Book is the organization dedicated to providing free books to these children. The representative from First Book who I spoke to told me about the impact that owning a book can have on these children. She said that after giving a child just three books, it is easy to measure the change in their performance at school.

I always was surrounded by books as a child and spent most of my young adulthood hidden inside a book. It's easy to take that for granted. At the event, I heard about children in Head Start pre-school programs and how in some neighborhoods, when the teachers as the child to bring in a book from home, the most common book the children bring back is a phone book - the only book in the home.

It literally takes 3 seconds to pledge to the Million Dollar Mission. For your pledge to read to your children, Lunchables will donate to help First Book get books to children. This is only going on through October 31st, so please take a moment and make your pledge. Then make sure to actually read to your kids! Those are always my favorite moments in the day.

Man, I so pale.