Reading With Your Child
If I really concentrate, I can still recite most of “But Not the Hippopotamus” by Sandra Boynton. That fun, brightly colored board book was a favorite of both of my children when they were tiny, and was read over and over to them until it was falling apart. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book as well – following the shy hippopotamus through the pages until she gained the courage to join the group – but by the hundredth time through, the new had definitely worn off.
I imagine many parents have a similar memory of a book from their child’s early years. Reading books to young children, even infants, has been shown time and again to be beneficial. Reading the same books over and over? Even more so. This does not mean you should not expose your child to a variety of books, but over time if he or she consistently chooses the same book, allow it with a smile and try to read it like it’s the first time.
Start early
Even very young infants benefit from being read to. Language centers in the developing brain are stimulated by repetitive phrases and pictures. Reading aloud to your infants teaches them about communication and forming words, introduces them to colors and shapes, and builds memory. The more frequently they hear sounds and words being read aloud, the quicker they are to repeat these sounds and words themselves. They also learn to listen to inflections and emotions in sounds.
Books for infants are often more than just words on a cardboard page. They have bright colors, rough and crinkly textures, even noises. All of this interaction stimulates different parts of the developing brain, forming important connections early on.
More than just language development
Children who are frequently read to will usually have a larger vocabulary at a younger age than those who are not. This vocabulary allows them to express themselves with words rather than actions – often leading to less tantrums and meltdowns, less aggression, and better control over behavior. Reading to your child helps to promote a healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development over time.
Additionally, spending time reading with your child is vital because it is time spent one-on-one with your child. It seems obvious, but the parental-child bonding that takes place during these moments is precious and important. Infants are soothed by the sound of their parents’ voices. This dedicated time together helps young children develop patience and curiosity and imagination, an experience that is even more enhanced with you by their side (or with them in your lap). It can easy anxiety, calm a rambunctious child, and develop a positive association with reading that will be very beneficial later on through schooling. Many studies have shown that reading aloud to young children leads to better performance in school and more of a desire to learn.
Promote reading in your home
Parents are the best examples for their children. This is true for all aspects of life, and clearly applies with reading. Let your children see you read – the newspaper, magazines, textbooks, novels.
For older children, find out what types of books they like – mysteries, adventures, fantasies, comic books, true stories – and make these available to them. Find a used bookstore. Ask for books for birthdays and holidays from grandparents and other family members. Surround your child with books and they are more likely to pick one up to enjoy.
Sign up for a library card and check out books for your child to enjoy. While wonderful, books can be prohibitively expensive when you have avid readers. Most city libraries have summer reading programs to keep your child engaged with books through the summer. If you do not have such programs in your area, make your own! Set goals for your child with prizes to achieve at the end.
Final thoughts
One of my favorite things to see when I walk in a room with a patient, no matter the age, is a book in their hands. I try to comment on it, to reinforce the idea that books are preferable to screens. I talk to older children about the books – what is it about? Do they like it? Would they recommend it others? I praise parents of infants and younger children for putting the books in those tiny hands. It’s so easy to put a screen in front of a child and allow it to capture his or her attention. I am not saying tablets and phones should never be used, but that they should be used sparingly. It is so much more beneficial to stimulate these budding vocabularies, emotional developments, and imaginations with a good old-fashioned book.
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