^{The Bottom Line} Parents Should Replace Screen Time with Books This Summer

The Second Lady, Usha Vance, recently unveiled a Summer Reading Challenge for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Designed to combat the learning loss that often occurs during the summer months, the initiative encourages children to spend their break immersed in books rather than disconnected from learning.

Children who choose to participate will read 12 books between now and September 4. Those who successfully submit their reading log will receive a certificate of completion, a personalized letter from the Second Lady, an America 250-themed bookmark, and an opportunity to win a trip to Washington, D.C.

As a mother of three young children and expecting her fourth, Vance understands firsthand the importance of reading. She recently shared that reading is a daily part of life in the Vance family home. That conviction now carries onto the national stage, where she is encouraging families across the country to make reading a priority this summer.

The timing could not be more important as America faces a literary crisis. According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, 69% of fourth-grade students are not proficient in reading. Parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s educational outcomes because, despite decades of rising per-pupil spending, literacy rates remain alarmingly low.

Reading is not simply another academic subject; it is the foundation upon which all future learning is built. By fourth grade, students are expected to transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Children who struggle to read proficiently face mounting challenges across other academic content areas, hindering their educational opportunities and future success.

Literacy cannot be viewed solely as the responsibility of schools. Some of the most important educational moments happen at home. Reading aloud to children during the early years builds vocabulary, strengthens comprehension, develops attention spans, and fosters a lifelong love of learning. One of the most powerful ways parents can set their children up for success is by making reading a regular part of family life.

Reading offers something increasingly rare in a culture dominated by screens and constant distraction. When families gather together to open a book, they create moments of connection, conversation, and discovery. Books invite children into worlds of adventure and wonder while helping them gain knowledge and develop critical-thinking skills.

This summer, children who participate in the challenge will gain more than a certificate or a chance to visit Washington. They will discover the joy of reading itself, and with it, the curiosity, creativity, and intellectual formation that books uniquely cultivate. In an age of endless digital consumption, that may be the greatest reward of all.

Click HERE to watch Keri D. Ingraham’s interview on Tiffany Meier Tonight on NTD News or watch below.