Making Reading an Important Part of Your Child’s Life

“Making Reading an Important Part of Your Child’s Life”

"The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go." ~ Dr Seuss

When children are exposed to books from an early age, a love of stories and learning is cultivated.  Imagination takes root as children discover new worlds and wonders, come to understand new and fascinating characters, and learn important life lessons through the books they encounter.

With continued access to stories that stimulate a child’s interests, a life-long reader and learner can be created.  Our duty as parents is to encourage reading daily, from the very beginning of a child’s life.  In the early years, select books for your child filled with bright colors, animals, and lyric language.  When they see the pictures and words come together in song, their imaginations will take hold and flourish.  As your child gets older, help him or her to select his own books by visiting the library frequently, making sure to explore a broad range of books that center on budding interests.  Also include stories promoting important life lessons that contribute to his understanding of the world.

When children enter elementary school, work with teachers and librarians to select books with your child that are appropriate to his or her reading level.  It is important to establish a Lexile reading level so you may help your child choose books that fall in their range.  When reading with your child, ask questions about the book to ensure comprehension and to build a “reading relationship” with your child.  Ask who his favorite character is and why.  Ask about the character’s conflict and make predictions about what will happen next.  If a book is beyond your child’s reading level, read with your child until he or she feels comfortable in attempting to read it on her own.  Make sure not to discourage the child from reading it as we don’t want a child’s interest in reading to ever be diminished.  By being a reader yourself and modeling your love of reading during these formative years, your child will begin to see the value of reading and the joy you experience from a good book.  Share these experiences with your child, who will take your lead and see that reading is a fun activity!

As our children age, we sometimes see a love of reading diminish as children become more active in other areas or find reading to be difficult.  This is especially true with male children who sometimes can’t be bothered with reading when there are sports or video games to be played.  To bring that love of reading to older adolescents, locate nonfiction materials that cater to their interests, from newspaper articles to autobiographies of famous athletes.  Encourage reading in any format possible, even if it takes the form of comic books.  Reading is a critical and creative thinking process, regardless of whether a child selects a novel or reads directions on a blog on how to master the next level of his computer game.  Work hard to incorporate reading into any aspect of a child’s life.  There is no better gift you can give your child than being a life-long reader.  Embrace the challenge, and READ!