The Power of Reading to Your Child

I think we will all agree that reading is paramount to success… and most of us enjoy the enrichment or escape found in a good book of any genre.  However, for those of us with a beginner reader in our lives—it may be challenging to pass on, your love of reading.  For many of us, reading was hard.  It takes lots of concentration and memorization at first.  Some of us (i.e. me) were and are lazy… reading just represented way too much work.

So how can we help our early readers feel the joy of successful reading—without necessarily making it feel like work?  One of the very best ways is to start young and read often to your child.  It is a wonderful bonding activity and there is nothing like curling up together and sharing a book.   Some are migrating to e-readers, but there is something wonderfully tactile about holding a book and turning the pages—perhaps I am old-fashion?  Yet, there have been times that one of our children’s books has fallen in the tub—and we recovered.  I am not so certain that we would have been so relaxed about a $400 e-reader lying beneath the bubbles.

No matter which camp you lie in—take the time to read together.  At what age would be a good time to start?  I would start at birth and start the habit and tradition.   I used to read a variety of things to the kids, including Shakespeare’s sonnets.  I got the idea from Dylan Thomas’s father, who did the same.  When Dylan’s mother commented that she was certain that the child did not understand a word—Dad replied, that was probably so, but he would learn that English can be a beautiful language.  I can see the impact on my children… their writing and word choices… languages (any) can be beautiful.

Once your child is aware and can sit and enjoy a story, you may start with picture books and talk about the pictures.  Once they get the feel of this whole book thing—I would then move to an early or easy reader with a controlled vocabulary and a fun rhyming scheme.  Dr. Seuss was the master at this.  Check books carefully—make sure there are not too many challenging or big words.  Another source is Lunchpail Books, which also use a controlled vocabulary and rhyming scheme.  Words are common easy words that are important for a child to learn to site-read.

Here are some other ideas you may wish to incorporate into your reading routine:
Reading is more than just saying words. It's a shared activity between children and caring adults. Children can also learn a great deal about language by hearing parents and grandparents read aloud. Children benefit most from reading aloud when parents:

• are enthusiastic about the experience.
• give children time to look at the pictures and encourage them to hunt for objects in the pictures.
• discuss stories with children.
• help children learn to identify letters and words.
• use an index finger underneath words so that children connect the print to the story.
• talk about the meaning of words.
• answer questions asked by children at the time they ask them.
• continually re-read children's favorite books.
• compare experiences in books with like experiences in children's lives.
• encourage children to read with them when phrases are repeated in a book.
• ask their children questions related to the book after reading to them.
• encourage children to make up their own stories. Parents can write down the stories and then read them back to children.

Help children to create their own books by using their own stories and cutting out magazine pictures, photos and/or children's art work.

Parents will want to keep plenty of books around for children to pick up and parents should set up a regular routine for reading such as nap time and/or bedtime.   How many books are in your home?
Children also get the impression that reading is valuable when they see their parents enjoy and benefit from reading. When parents read at home and check out library books for themselves, as well as their children, parents model the pleasure and importance of reading.