The benefits of reading are wide and well known. With these simple steps, you can foster a love of books in your little one and inspire them to dream big for the rest of their lives, writes Natarsha Brown.
It’s simple: if you want to raise a reader, be a reader yourself. Young ones are like sponges; they model their behaviour on those around them. Even if you are not a dedicated bookworm, pick up a cookbook, magazine, photobook or whatever else tickles your fancy – the focus shouldn’t be the material but the joy of learning more about the world around you, in whatever capacity.
Research has shown that the strongest predictor of a child’s reading is the sheer volume of books in the home. Be sure to keep a basket full of stories anyplace they might get bored, such as in the car, bathroom or underneath the dining table. This also encourages reading during the day, allowing them to dissociate books with bedtime (and viewing it as a fun activity to do anytime, anywhere instead). Also, kids often need a steady and changing flow of options to stay engaged and excited. On a budget? Host ‘book swaps’ with friends and family to help mix it up.
Parents often worry that their kids aren’t learning to read quickly enough. Of course, if a child is truly struggling, early intervention is key. However, it’s crucial that reading doesn’t have ‘winners and losers’ and that it’s not seen as a chore (with worksheets, timed sessions and the like). Connecting with books should be fun and full of adventure.
On this note, you want to make reading the ‘dessert’ and not the ‘vegetables’. In other words, make reading the reward. If kids want to stay up later for one more story, let them if they completed their chores that day. If you have a doctor’s appointment they are grumpy about, promise them a trip to the bookstore afterwards.
Try not to focus on whether the pages your child is consuming are “challenging enough” and don’t try to push classics or your tastes on to them. They will love what they love and you should embrace this – whether this is rereading their favourite story over and over again (which is great for literacy skills anyway) or taking the time to figure out what their individual interests are.
Reading increases your ability to emphasise, build vocabulary, reduces stress, aids sleep, and inspires creativity and curiosity (among many other benefits). Yet, when you curl up with your little one and a copy of Where The Wild Things Are, educational and health benefits should not be front of mind; there’s a comfort and closeness that comes from reading together, at any age. Enjoy the moment!
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