Help Your Child Learn To Read
Seven Ways To Cultivate the Love of Books
The dilemma facing parents: How do you get your child to read? The solution: Make sure to spend time together when reading is the main focus, and let your child know just how entertaining books can be.
With the staggering array of entertainment options dangling in front of kids’ faces these days, the task can be daunting: Video games immerse them in hyper-stimulating environments; hundreds of channels stream from the high-definition TV; a 24/7 music soundtrack pipes directly into their ears; they can communicate at will with everyone they know via cell phone and text messaging; and of course, there's the infinite datastream of the internet.
Start Reading Early and Make It Fun
If you’ve reached the point where you’re competing with all of the above, then you’re getting a very late start. The most important weapon in your reading arsenal is YOU – reading to your child from day one, long before you think it’s even remotely possible that your child could be getting anything out of the experience. She is. It’s never too early to form positive associations with the experience of reading, and there’s nothing like the undivided attention of a beloved caregiver reading a book to establish those good vibrations.
Don’t just read to them – read well. Be animated, get excited, and give it your all. The key word is fun. Act out scenes, read the dialogue in crazy voices, put on silly hats, whatever. Make that book as thrilling, funny, and entertaining as you possibly can. This takes lots of energy, and you probably won’t manage it every time you sit down to read, but when your child begs you for more reading time, you’ll see why it’s worth it.
Never say, “Not that book again!” Repetition is how young children learn to read. It helps them form associations between the symbols on the page and the words they hear. And at all ages, the desire to hear a story over and over is a sign of passion – which is exactly what you’re trying to cultivate.
Model the Reading Habit
As with all parenting, you have to model the behavior you want your child to emulate. In plain English – read! If your child sees you doing it, she’s more likely to want to do it herself. Instead of sitting down if front of the TV after dinner, park yourself in the living room with that novel you've been meaning to read.
The library is your strongest ally – a place where your child can access thousands of books for free. It’s like those free samples at Costco – try enough of them, and you’re bound to find something you love that will keep you coming back for more. Give your children plenty of time to browse the shelves, and encourage her to sit down at a table to read the first few pages.
Reading With Older Children
As your kids get older, don’t be a control freak about what they read. Okay, some parental control is appropriate, but try not to be extreme about it. If your child is drawn to comic books, Captain Underpants, or the High School Musical novelization, just go with the flow. The important thing is that she’s reading. War and Peace can come later. If your child has trouble choosing a book to read, the American Library Association has compiled a list of places to find recommendations.
Don’t decide for your child when she’s too old to be read to. Let her tell you. Lots of kids enjoy the shared experience of reading aloud long past the point when they are fully literate themselves. It’s all about finding joy in books, and those positive feelings are guaranteed to last a lifetime.
If you take the time to share the reading experience, you'll raise a child who loves to read -- and the quality time you'll spend in the process is its own reward.
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