Sometimes, in life, it is difficult to find the time to do all of the things that are required of us. In our haste to do everything, reading with our children often gets pushed down the list so far that it eventually falls off. It is difficult for us to see the effects that reading with our children will have, especially because many of the results are too far off into the future for us to visualise. But, with a bit of conscious effort, setting aside 10-20 minutes every day to curl up with your child(ren) and do some reading will be beneficial for everyone involved. After all, for many, we find time to check our social media, to watch TV, text with our friends and maybe even do some on-line shopping…so why not spend a fraction of our time reading together? If reading will ensure that our children will grow and flourish, why not invest the time now?
Reading together is a great way to get to know your child. It can spark conversations about all manner of things and they will feel validated that their parent is spending time listening to them and their ideas. The benefits of reading with your child are endless. Obviously, their understanding and abilities increase, as well as their potential to learn. Reading with your child not only teaches them that reading is important, but even more, reading interactively with your child tells them that they are important to you.
Children learn best by seeing examples. It is not enough to tell your child to read. Children need to see adults reading (the newspaper, instructions, recipes, books, magazines, etc.) in order to understand how important it is. They DO need to know that reading can get them the information they need, but they also need to know it can take them to far-off places, on exciting adventures, and to lands full of imagination and wonder.
So, to read or not to read…The choice is yours.
Here are some websites to visit to get ideas and tips for reading more frequently with your child…but don’t spend too much time on these sites as it will take up valuable time that you could be using to read with your child. ?
Tips for encouraging Reluctant Readers
