Reading to your child
is a great way to bond with him/her. In fact, children's reading
experts say that reading is the simple and most effective approach to
turning your child into a wide reader. A child who is constantly
being read lively stories with rhythmic sounds and actions to boot is
more likely to love and be fascinated with books as s/he grows up.
Not only will your child be having fun, but you also get to enjoy in
the process as well. And the more a child loves books, the more s/he
will read and the more s/he will know.
Getting your
child to appreciate the value of reading should come from you. There
are simple steps that you can do to make that happen. Aside from
reading to your child in the usual places such as his/her bed or the
couch, try less traditional places such as outdoors under the shade
of a tree, at a park or on a hammock. You can also keep a book in
your car for your child to read for traffic delays or long road
trips. Spread a blanket or a mat on the floor and have an instant
reading picnic right at the comforts of your home as well. You can
actually be surprised to find that almost every part of your house
can be an exciting reading place for your child so use your
imagination.
When
reading to your child, start from the cradle. Reading can entertain a
bored or quiet child and help a fussing one to calm down. Not only
can reading do wonders for your child, it can also be an enriching
experience for you as a parent too. Set some time each day to read to
your child. Whether you want it before or after school, before or
after nap time or before bedtime, make sure that it best works for
you and your child.
Maximize on the
times when your family is most likely together, say, breakfast or
dinner. You can read aloud from the newspaper while your child eats
breakfast or ask your child to read to you while you do the dinner
dishes. Be aware of how your child reacts. If s/he appear restless,
your child may be telling you that s/he isn't quite all too attentive
to what you are going to read to him/her. In this case, you may want
to stop reading and consider doing another activity. Even if your
child has already learned to read, continue reading to him/her. Your
child will love listening to different books that s/he still cannot
master on his/her own. And as your child reaches teenhood, s/he may
even like to hear his/her old favorites as well.
Read
whatever you lay your hands on. Aside from books, newspapers and
magazines, read product labels, mail order catalogs, menus,
billboards, road signs and many other items you can read on.
Also, try reading poetry
or singing traditional rhymes such as Mother Goose and others. These
contain the language's basic rhythms and fun verses that your child
will enjoy. Picture storybooks and colorful artwork are also great
for your very young child as well. Be more creative with the stories
you read to your child. Substitute his/her name for the character's
to make the story more real and interesting. Diversify your
selections, going to old favorites at the same introducing fresh, new
works. Expect plenty of questions from your child. Take the time to
answer them as you go along with the story.
Try reading to
your child and see just how enriching an experience it is not just
for your child but for you as well!
