Good Parenting

With the popularity of TV and the computer, along with the Internet, children appear to have stopped reading completely. Unfortunately, the same phenomenon is apparent in many grownups, too. While youngsters are still encouraged to read, grownups are quite willing to watch television until they go to bed. With such dreadful examples, how can we hope to teach our kids the joys of reading?

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SavingsAce has come up with a few wonderful ideas to encourage children to become fervent readers without turning their lives topsy-turvy. Before reading these hints, remember that forcing children to read will not help you instill good reading habits. In fact, the pressure may have the opposite effect.

- Commence young. As parents, we sometimes make the mistake of presuming that the child should be introduced to books only when she is ready to read. SavingsAce recognizes that this is a false belief. It is a fact that infants who are read to grow up to be stronger readers than youngsters who are not. The earlier you familiarize the child with the idea of books and the entertainment values that they can provide, the better off you are.

- Interest. No one likes to do things that are not amusing. The same principle holds true with kids. If you develop an interest in reading by tapping into your child’s interest, you may be able to achieve the desired outcomes much more quickly. If your kid enjoys excitement, introduce adventure stories; if your youngster enjoys machines, then a book about Mighty Machines is something you just have to get.

- Interactive. According to SavingsAce, it is important that you keep the reading sessions interactive. So while you may have to read to the child and explain things initially, you can slowly start to read with the child as he reads some of the common words he knows. Before you know it, your youngster will be reading on his own.

- Schedule. Designate a specific time for reading. This time should depend on the maturity of the child and the other activities that he has planned. While nighttime is a good time to encourage kids to read, a story before dinner or once they wake up also works for some.

- Age-specific. It is essential that the books you choose for your child be age-specific, not only from the content perspective but also in regard to the quantity. It is known that younger kids have a shorter attention span compared to older ones. Showing an adventure story that is intended for an 8-year-old to your three-year-old could create disinterest in your munchkin, which you may not be able to reverse later.

While these tips and tricks from SavingsAce are very effective, it is also true that every kid has unique qualities. While one may respond very well to your attempts, another may have a frostier reaction. Try to work with the child’s comfort level, and introduce reading at a pace that he is comfortable with. DonÂ’t end up making it a chore. It is also crucial that you make yourself a good role model, so turn off that computer every now and then, and discover a book for some good quality reading!

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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 5:02 pm and is filed under Good Parenting.