Reading to your child at a young age is one of the most effective tools for expanding his mind and instilling a lifelong love of learning. Reading a good book allows your child to travel to places she has never been, to meet people she has never met, and to develop an understanding of how to deal with a variety of physical and emotional situations.
Reading to your child also helps you develop an emotional connection. Whether you have her cuddle up in your lap, nestle with him while he is winding down for bed, or read to her while waiting for food in a restaurant, you are connecting. Reading to your child from an early age will also help him be successful in school. Reading out loud will help him learn language and become familiar with words. Reading is the foundation for developing an understanding of conceptual information and it sparks imagination!
Your child is never too young to be read to. Frankly, you should begin reading to your child while in the womb. During this time, use reading as a way of familiarizing the baby to your voice. If both parents take turns reading, it is even better. Imagine, before the baby is even born, the act of reading helps you connect and it can help parents reconnect with each other. When your child is born, the adventure begins. During the "easy" phase of infancy when your child is not physically able to explore his/her world, reading to your child helps him feel loved and comforted. Nestled in your arms with a favorite picture book, your baby will, at first, seem unaware of what is going on. But is she?
When my daughters were infants, I would read a series of picture books called the "Find The" board books by Stephen Cartwright. These books have lively illustrations, but no words. Guided by a series of images that included pictures of children and animals, each book asked children to find the piglet, the duck, the teddy, the puppy, the bird, or the kitten. When my daughters were very small, I would hold the book in front of them and while their heads wobbled about, I would ask, "Ceiley, where's the bird." Of course, there was no response, so I would point out where the bird was and, in doing so, I would describe the picture and put it into context. For several months, I would pull out the book and ask, "Where's the piglet!" One day, an interesting thing happened. When I asked the magical question, my daughter lifted a chubby finger and pointed to the piglet. Had she understood what I had been saying all along? I will probably never know but one thing is certain, before the age of one, she knew what a piglet was, what the word "find" meant, and she used her magnificent brain to tell her finger to point to the picture of the pig. All because I read a book. Her mind was indeed a blank slate upon which I could impress ideas and concepts.
Reading to your child should become second nature. Anytime, anywhere is an opportunity to read to your child. During the hectic toddler days, books can be lifesavers in public places. If you have to stand in line at a bank, take a book bag along filled with engaging books that your child enjoys. Before they get fussy, take out a book and start reading. Yes, it is very difficult to read to your child while you are holding him and standing up at the same time! Instead, put her in a stroller and bend down. As you read to your child, you are using your time preciously. By bending down, you are coming down to his level. By reading, you are expanding her knowledge and growing neurons. Make your waiting time, his reading time! Reading while waiting also works well if you have several children with you. Although my daughters are 11 and 6, my oldest daughter will still lean over and read along to the book I am reading to my youngest, despite carrying along her own stash of Harry Potter and Manga books. The key is that, by making reading part of your child's everyday experiences, she will come to expect that reading is the norm.
If you are not a reader and do not enjoy reading, you have a great obstacle to overcome. If you do not enjoy reading and/or you were not brought up with reading in the home, it will be doubly difficult for you to get in the habit of reading. Please, don't let this stop you! The exciting thing about being human is that you can change anytime. Start slowly. Find a topic that interests you and start reading. Buy a bookcase and make it a goal to slowly fill it up with children's books, classics, or whatever else suits your fancy.
Read to your child. Engage his imagination. Don't assume that children read at a certain age. There are so many things that you can do to prepare them for the day when they start to decipher letters and words on their own. Lay the foundation early in life and your child will reap wonderful rewards.
L.J. Davis is the author of A Simple Brown Leaf, a story for a new generation of children.
"Every child has a purpose. Every child asks the question, 'Who am I going to become.'"
Learn more at ljdavis.com
?2005 L.J. Davis
monthly home cleaning Buffalo Grove ..As part of the whole-language (or "balanced") reading-instruction philosophy, many... Read More
1. Encourage Questions.Don't answer every question, instead ask what do... Read More
We were all teens at one time for some many... Read More
The biggest trick some child predators' are using these days... Read More
This can be a very complicated issue, so I don't... Read More
Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and... Read More
According to the American Sleep Association 70% of all babies... Read More
The public school system in America has become a dismal... Read More
How are parents to know they are doing the right... Read More
Our children are growing up bilingual in the French part... Read More
Unfortunately each year many young children drown in swimming pools,... Read More
Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent more than the... Read More
Your child's leadership skills begin at the family dinner table.... Read More
Managing money is one of the most critical skills we... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born. Visions of her... Read More
Just a couple of years ago Annie helped her parents... Read More
Although it's hard to say when the first stuffed dogs... Read More
17 Quick Ways to Strengthen the Bonds of LoveOn Mother's... Read More
The techniques of managing relationships between parents and their children... Read More
There are several treatment options available to help improve the... Read More
Did you know that over 75% of teens aged 16-17... Read More
Something happened the other day that made me feel uneasy.... Read More
I really like all natural remedy for Attention Deficit Disorder... Read More
Something eerily familiar happened in KwaZulu-Natal's Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park in Africa... Read More
My name is Duncan and I'm 2 years old. I... Read More
scheduled maid service Mundelein ..Dear Camille,As I thumb through the photographs that I carry... Read More
Salon visits can be scary experiences for small children: They... Read More
Why Me?"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should... Read More
LOS ANGELES (May 19, 2005) - With Memorial Day weekend,... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
Did you know that inconsistency on matters of discipline gives... Read More
Bearers of life, wipers of noses, givers of unconditional love... Read More
Puberty can be a difficult time for children. Not quite... Read More
I am in pain. I've been in pain all day.... Read More
One of the few decisions you'll make during pregnancy that... Read More
One of the most difficult parts of being a father... Read More
When a couple steps forth with a baby in tow... Read More
The least flexible character in all of the stories of... Read More
Nail biting in all its various forms is problematic... Read More
Having been a parent educator and a PBS consultant for... Read More
We want our children to do the right thing, especially... Read More
1. You reheated the same cup of coffee three times... Read More
Giving advice to a teenager is very easy; getting a... Read More
It is extraordinary times that we find ourselves in. Change... Read More
Life is funny.My twenty-year-old daughter, Melanie, has a her new... Read More
It can be said that any man who procreates is... Read More
Individualism is a common thing in today's modern society. Many... Read More
How do we deal with our seriously distressed children and... Read More
Finding out that a child has been born with a... Read More
The Internet, is magnificent in its resources for families. Educational... Read More
Parenting |