All the parents I talk to want their children to have the very best chance to succeed in every way possible. It's only natural—it's definitely what I want for my kids and grandkids! Reading well and often is something that can help kids (and adults) learn a lot and keep their minds active. To encourage a love of reading, I read to my kids as often as I could when they were little, and I do the same now with my grandkids.
I'm not the only one who feels strongly about reading—most experts agree that reading to your children everyday from the very beginning of their life is a much better way to help them learn than learning-oriented computer games or toys. But, unfortunately, studies show that many parents don't do this—fewer than half of parents with children younger than 3 read to their child every day. With television and computer games competing for kids' attention, being a good role model yourself by reading will help set a good example.
According to my colleagues at Harvard, Drs. Leann Lesperance and Hank Bernstein, here are some tips that help parents get in the habit of reading to their children:
- It is never too early to begin reading with your child! Babies love hearing the sounds of their parents' voices reading to them, even when it is the morning paper.
- Young children have short attention spans, so try reading for short periods of time, several times every day.
- Most children, even young babies, have favorite books. It is normal for them to want to hear you read the same book over and over again.
- It is fine to choose stories that you like, too. Have fun when reading them, and share your enthusiasm about the book with your child.
- If you feel you do not read well, ask your librarian where you can learn to read better yourself, too.
- Read out loud from everything, even shopping lists, road signs and bills, to show your children how important reading is to you.
- As your child gets older, get him or her a library card and visit regularly. The librarian, and also your child's teacher, can suggest books that your child would like.
- Ask school-aged children to read to you, and then discuss what you have read. You can also ask about books they have read in school.
The bottom line: Read, read, and then read some more every day!
How often do you read to your baby? Are their any books that he or she particularly likes?
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Comments: 14
yes. There is nothing I can think of that made as much difference to the lives of our 2 daughters as reading did. Thanks for the plug for librarians, I am one.
Call me old fashioned, but I think that Dr. Seuss is still great stuff for much of that age range. Every librarian has a list of favorite picture book authors. Just ask.
What I want to know is this: When will parents, in their efforts to make sure their children "have the very best chance to succeed in every way possible" stop messing with developmental stages?
Phonics, for example - sure, you can get your child to read at a very early age, but you are forcing linear, tangible thinking from them at a time when their developmental stage is all about imagination and creativity. In the long run, you will sacrifice well-roundedness for those early test score victories. So why does Phonics sell so well? Because parents buy into the more faster better thinking where their kid's education is concerned. Slow it down and relax.
(A passionate homeschooling Mom)
Some kids don't read until much later than the public school system says they are supposed to - alexis is a perfect example. Can we please throw away the box we are trying to fit all of our wonderfully diverse children into and just let them learn at their own pace?? Sometimes slower actually is better.
Does this work, or is my child just progressing normally?
When do children begin to understand "letters"? He has already mastered "E" and "K", and seems eager for me to teach him more letters. Do 3 year olds start to pick up letter recognition? None of the so-called experts have ever told me when a child seems to hit the milestone of recognizing letters - is there that much of a variance?
I believe it inappropriate to try to teach a 2 or 3 year old to read, though many are curious about the alphabet and quite capable of memorizing the letters and even learning to draw them. But I think the better approach would be to share the joy of reading so that they will have a burning desire to be able to read when the time comes. If they WANT it, the battle is won before it begins for most of them.
I think mainly, if parents get excited about reading there is a greater chance he kids will too. My son was reading very well even in kindergarten, and has never stopped (he's 17.) My daughter read a little at 4, got out of it for a while, and at 15 reads quite a bit, but not as much as my son. Always be encouraging, but don't stress out over the peaks and valleys too much
Our need for touch is a basic human need, though one still largely unrecognized by educators and the parenting public. I can't stress enough the need that children (and adults) have for touch. Just because you may not have heard about this need doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. It means that, like many characteristics of raising children in our modern world, our knowledge and understanding of child development and even of needs of adults lags far behind the development of technology and medicine.
For more information about child development and our need for touch, see my web site at http://billallin.com Look for the page about articles in the menu for an article about our need for touch.