If you are one of those who are obsessed or excited about their child becoming a little Einstein, you should know that reading to children and talking about the book while reading is one of the best ways to increase the IQ of a person. In addition, doing so has an impact on fostering a love of reading, which is certainly also an important and valuable sign of intelligence.
Many children, thanks to the efforts and efforts of their parents, end up reading for fun and of their own free will, not out of obligation, and this behavior has a significant impact on academic improvements throughout life. And it is that school performance is more directly related to reading levels than with any other indicator, so that children who choose to read independently become better readers , obtain better scores on achievement tests in all subjects and they have a greater knowledge of the content than those who do not.
Is not it wonderful?
How can we inspire a lasting love of reading at home?
The habit of reading never really takes hold in childhood. Our children love flipping through books when they are young and looking at their illustrations. But reading is much harder work, and life offers so many other forms of entertainment that reading often ends up looking more like work than game. The lack of habits and strategies to promote reading means that many children never reach that magical moment of reading a good book and finding that it is more fun than almost anything else.
So what can we do as parents to encourage this all-important habit and make it last? These are some of the things:
- Read to your children from the earliest age
And not just at bedtime. Buy cardboard and cloth books and make them always present among the first toys and also carry them in the stroller bag when you go outdoors. It is also very important that the approach used when reading is that of moments of disconnection, relaxation, happiness, and not turning it into the time imposed for reading and the story. Create cozy moments and enjoy a hugging and pampering ritual accompanied by books full of adventures and surprises . After school, during lunch … any time can be nice. It’s amazing how motivated children can be to read if it allows them to stay awake until a little later.
- Start visiting the library regularly
Use the time in the library to read to your children and to select books appropriate to their particular tastes. Keep library books on a separate shelf from the rest, in the living room or bedroom, so they don’t get lost and they can always easily find something new to read. This way of keeping them also makes it possible to understand that books must be cared for and conserved.
Librarians often have a list of favorite books for different ages , and other parents and children who come can also be a good source of ideas and suggestions.
- Never “push” your children to learn to read
Most children learn to read naturally once they develop the necessary prior skills. Don’t forget that your main goal as a parent is not to get them to learn to read and pronounce each written word correctly , but to foster a love for books. Engaging in teaching a child to read can end up taking away all the fun and interest in reading. The moment of reading at home should be something tender, positive and pleasant, so it should be free from unnecessary demands and pressures. Let’s not forget that a bad feeling about reading in childhood can last a lifetime.
If the boy or girl in question is very interested in learning to read for little moments at home, there is no problem, but always voluntarily and without exerting pressure.
- Don’t stop reading to him once he learns to read
Continuing to read to a child, even though they already know how to read, will keep them interested in reading as their other skills develop, and also allows parents and children to have more interesting talking points, such as the importance of values.
Parents often complain that their children can already read but do not seem interested in doing so. Most children go through this stage, but as parents we can help keep it as short as possible. But why does this happen? Well because even if a child has already learned to read, he can only read simple and simple books, however, his capacity for imagination longs for more developed plots and characters. Those books whose adventures they yearn for can be agonizing for early readers, for they are made up of many words they still don’t know, among other things. The solution to this problem is that parents do not stop reading to their children even if they have already started reading , as this will be an important source of motivation for the future reader of the little ones.
Why give up such an important moment to connect emotionally? Why give up the opportunity to read books that spark good discussions about values, options, difficulties, and hope?
- Help in approaching the next level
Choose a book that your child can read, but is a little more difficult than he could choose on his own: a simple chapter book, rather than a picture book, for example. Read at least a quarter of the book together to get to the exact starting point of the plot, that moment when everything seems to get more interesting and full of mysteries. So tell him it’s time for his solo reading time . Although whether to continue or not should be left to their choice, most children end up picking up the book and managing to finish it themselves. If you see him trying but not succeeding, you may have to go down a level and go back to a slightly simpler book. Time to time.
- Smart comics for reluctant readers
Some kids get a great start in the world of comic book reading, as it is less intimidating to them than chapter-filled books, and it can also be a great reading option.
- Read you too
If you really want your children to love reading, try to read yourself, because there are few things in life as important as being consistent. If they never see you read, what power of speech are you going to have to convince them to do so? And forget about phrases like “it is your obligation” , because it is the most wrong way to instill a love for books.
- Limit the use of technology
Today it is very difficult for a book to compete with television, mobile phones or computers. And it is that most children (and adults too), given the options, simply will not choose the book often enough to make it a habit for other types of entertainment. Before you know it, they will have developed other habits to relax and reading will be completely foreign to them. For this reason, limiting the use of the screens until the interest in reading is well established can be an important decision, but also a difficult one.
And you, what do you do to encourage reading at home?
Excellent strategy .. I apply it with my year and a half Delia from the belly. And already read! His stories and it is wonderful! I want to have contact via whatshApp with you… 04143489658 Venezuela