Children Reading
How to encourage, support and endorse your children reading so that it
becomes their passion?
A large key to this, is your attitude as parents towards books and reading.
Recently I was in a coffee shop when a mother with her daughter, aged around 10, sat at the table next to mine.
They had a
discussion about their order and when the mother left to go and place
it, the daughter slipped a thick paperback out of her bag and began to
read.
I was amused to hear the child apologize and then ask for permission to
keep on reading,
"just until the food comes, Mum". The mother smiled
and nodded her consent, and the girl buried her head in the book again.
What I found interesting was that on my last visit to the same coffee
shop, I had watched a child sitting, with a very bored expression on
his face, while his mother read a magazine and drank her coffee.
It seemed like such a wasted opportunity for this mother and son. He
was bored and she was absent and it could have been such a fun outing.
Now I watched this mother, contentedly observing her child who was
completely engaged with her book.
The mother appeared to delight in her daughter's reading, and laughingly asked if it was ok
for them to talk when the daughter reached the end of her chapter.
Two very different attitudes are in play here - one parent delights in
reading, the other uses it to alleviate boredom for herself.
Which
attitude do you want to pass on to your children?
Childhood Reading
When I was a girl, my mother drove us to the library every second
Friday. We had a cardboard carton each to bring home our fortnight's
worth of books. I still remember the feeling of searching for and
finding more books to take home, and the excitement of spilling all the
books out onto the floor and choosing which one to begin first.
Books were always the best gifts, and to receive a book voucher came a
close second.
Being able to choose my own books is still one of my greatest joys!
My mother's attitude to reading was that it was a very special activity and so took
precedence over many other things.
For instance, if she called me to help with something, or if it was time to put the light
out, she always told me to finish the chapter first.
Books were
cherished friends and time was always freely given if we were reading.
Books were given as gifts, any series we were reading was always updated and reading in many
different forms was encouraged.
We were given comics, magazines and annuals for treats, and books were borrowed,
loaned and treasured. We were taught to care for them both physically and
emotionally, and conversations about characters and their adventures
were always encouraged.
My grandparents continuously praised me for being such an avid reader,
and rewarded me with more and more good books to read.
Children Reading -
The Importance of Your Attitude As Parents
Your attitude to books and to children reading is observed and imitated.
If you:
find books comforting and enjoyable read books discuss books purchase books suggest titles make reading time availablehave bookcases filled with books read newspapers and magazines ask for quiet while you read
then you are giving a strong message to your children that books are valuable and reading is fun.
The love of reading is formed and encouraged by parents.
It takes time to learn to read fluently and easily, and time to keep up
with reading. This precious time needs to be freely given.
Encourage your children to find a particular series or author to
explore.
Try to have a book case in each child's room and encourage each child's
individual style and taste of reading to evolve.
Children Reading - The Biggest NO!
The biggest NO! to children reading is a television in a child's bedroom
Research suggests that children who can go to their room to watch television are often more socially lazy than those who watch in the living room.
Of course some television watching is both fun and educational, but reading before sleep rather than TV should always be encouraged.
A BBC news item earlier in the year promoted children reading.
Reading, it said, was not just a joy, but a route out of poverty.
It's also the benefits of reading. It's probably one of the best
anti-poverty, anti-deprivation, anti-crime, anti-vandalism policies you
can think of.
Launching the nationwide campaign to get more adults and more children
reading and enjoying books, a plea was made to parents to
spend more time reading with their children.
I recommend:
At Early Moments, we’re focused on making the most of a child’s first months and years, particularly in the area of early literacy. The key is finding fun, creative, and educational ways to make reading a central component of their lives.
Children Reading BBC
Read Aloud Magic.com
Learn how to accelerate your child's literacy
development and academic success in only 10-
minutes a day. Read Aloud is the Gift of
knowledge and it lasts a lifetime. Meet Susan
Frankenberg, Read Aloud Coach and author of Read
Aloud Magic.
Free Childrens Stories.com
A new way to look at kids' books! Comment on an
original children's story every week, as well as
a fully illustrated online children's book.
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