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
cleaning service near Bannockburn ..Do you have a young child whose weight or eating... Read More
Elana, born in Russia, was told "We really don't know... Read More
Valentine day has always been a special day in my... Read More
10 Fun Things You Can Do With Your Children this... Read More
When my son was 18 (and had finished school), he... Read More
Family meetings provide opportunities for feelings to be aired and... Read More
Fall marks the beginning of many new things both for... Read More
Summertime means insect bites and stings. Ouch! Take a leaf... Read More
"Becoming a parent can make you a better worker," New... Read More
Often I have heard that leaders are born, not made.... Read More
There are moments in a parent's or grandparent's life, when... Read More
Before my daughter was born my house was... Read More
Corolle Paul or Emma Drink-and-Wet SET potty dollsThis is the... Read More
I could nearly fund my children's future education if I... Read More
Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the... Read More
It's no joy to be sick. It's even less joy... Read More
Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents... Read More
You can learn a lot from children.The best part of... Read More
1. Tell me something you like about yourself? Help your... Read More
"What age should my child start school?"This is a common... Read More
We adopted our first child when he was three months... Read More
My wife and I have been working on a video... Read More
The distressed adolescent often has feelings of abandonment, emotional detachment,... Read More
The word no is probably the most overused word in... Read More
Dear MomOn this day set aside to honour "Mother's" let... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Mundelein .."To educate a person in mind and not in morals... Read More
In speaking with parents a comment I frequently hear is... Read More
Lead is one of the most dangerous toxins a person... Read More
"The best blush to use is laughter: It put roses... Read More
Once the newness has worn off a little, you will... Read More
The biggest complaint you hear from parents about their children... Read More
Whenever parents discuss how to deal with bed wetting, the... Read More
Many times, we are so conditioned in how we speak... Read More
Researching career education uncovered the following shocking statistic: The average... Read More
As a step daughter and step grand daughter, I followed... Read More
"In general my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't... Read More
Look around: Your kids are counting sleeps until the last... Read More
We adopted our first child when he was three months... Read More
I'm sure many of you have heard that old Hallmark... Read More
I had my first two children on either side of... Read More
"My son won't go to bed at night without a... Read More
What are we teaching our children about money? Hopefully something!I... Read More
The debate in many towns continues throughout this country about... Read More
I don't know how people raise daughters because I have... Read More
"Just turn the lights off and go to sleep"Do you... Read More
It can be said that any man who procreates is... Read More
Today the little red school house is not what it... Read More
I am in pain. I've been in pain all day.... Read More
If you're a single parent or a married couple on... Read More
For several years now, I've told the following story as... Read More
Parenting |