NBC Today Show anchors Natalie Morales and Willie Geist deliver the results of a new survey from Reading Is Fundamental and Macy’s. The anchors also talk about their experiences reading with their own children, with Natalie Morales treating viewers to her special version of ‘Goodnight Moon.’ Trouble with the video? Watch it on today.com

The numbers are in — only one in three parents reads bedtime stories to their child each night.

Despite all we know, few parents with kids age eight and younger are engaged in nightly reading, according to the new survey from Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and Macy’s. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, finds that only one in three parents (33 percent) read bedtime stories with their children every night, and 50 percent of parents say their children spend more time with TV or video games than with books.

Join us to keep bedtime stories alive! This marks the 10th year of our partnership with Macy’s, and we stand poised to deliver our 10 millionth book to children in need nationwide this summer.

Help us get more books to more children in need. From June 21 to July 21, visit your local Macy’s store to participate in our Be Book Smart campaign. Customers coast-to-coast can give $3 at any Macy’s register in-store to help provide a book for a child in their local community. Macy’s will donate the full amount to RIF, and customers will receive a coupon for $10 off an in-store purchase of $50 or more. Last year, Macy’s helped to raise $4.8 million for RIF, providing 1.6 million books to children in need.

  Bedtime Stories Infographic by Reading Is Fundamental

Yeah, it’s good for them, but we also needed a routine. OK, a distraction. Books are a welcome distraction.

Now that we have two little girls, our routine looks like this:

Older daughter (Riley, 3 ½) chooses whether Mom or Dad will read to her.

If she picks Mom, I try to divert our younger daughter (Parker, 1 ½) from realizing Mommy isn’t putting her to bed. Usually I fail. Tears ensue.

Either way, a book calms all storms and both kids happily snuggle up in bed as we leave the room. (See footnote.)

Our routine even helps when Mom’s traveling for work, but it looks more like this:

We go into Riley’s room and all three of us climb into bed. I try sitting in the middle but somehow Parker manages to sit on top of her sister. Or kick her in the face.

Either way, before a book is even opened, there’s drama. Riley likes downtime before bed. Parker would prefer to party-till-she-drops.

We come to a fragile peace and start reading a book one of the girls picks out. A few pages in, Parker is somehow on top of Riley again. More drama.

Back in our respective corners, we resume. A couple pages in and, well, I think you’re getting the picture. It goes on like this until I finally break up the fun and take Parker into her crib. And, eventually, both girls happily snuggle up in bed.

Need a routine of your own? In no particular order, five of our current favorites to get you started:

1. “It’s OK To Be Different” by Todd Parr
2. “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram
3. “Z is for Moose” by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zelinsky
4. “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” by Dr. Seuss
5. “How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?” by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Not a parent? You still need a routine. Find a good book at goodreads.com.

(Footnote:  I fully expect tonight to be completely different from either scenario. By writing this, I’ve tempted the fate of their current habit of happily snuggling up in bed as we leave the room. A habit that seems to be cursed by any admission that there is a habit, that such a habit can somehow be possible.  Oh, God of Bedtime Ritual, please find it in your heart to look the other way this one time.)