Reading
has always been a very important skill to instill
in children. This is because much success awaits the
successful reader. Thus, if you want your child to
be as successful as he or she should be, then you
should instill in your child a love for reading books.
You have
to understand that the very basic foundation of education
lies in reading skills.
If your
child does not enjoy reading books, then how else
can he or she get accustomed to reading books that
would surely come with schooling? Thus, early on,
it would be so much better for you, as a parent, to
encourage your child to read books. You would not
want your child to struggle when he or she encounters
the different subjects in school now, would you?
The job
of a parent is never easy. It demands a lot of time,
effort, and patience on your part. And when you see
your child struggling with something, it becomes doubly
hard for you. Since you are the adult here, and you
surely know better, you have to take it upon yourself
to build an environment that is conducive for studying.
This way, your child will be better prepared for the
rigors of schooling. And there is no better way to
do this than to encourage your child to read books
at an early age.
Now, this
does not really come easy, however easy it may seem
to you, being an adult who already knows how to read.
Mastering reading and phonics can be very struggling
for any child, so do not feel frustrated or incompetent
if you have difficulties inculcating this skill as
well. As much as possible, focus on the matter at
hand, and do not give in to any insecurity that might
come popping from all directions. Just stay calm,
stay patient, and remember the following parenting
tips.
1) Read
to your child.
It does not really matter what his
or her age may be. Just read to your child before
bedtime. Of course, your reading material would differ
with age. Bedtime stories are good for babies and
preschoolers. As your child grows though, you can
change these to story books and even poetry. You can
schedule your reading activities according to the
age of your child. If you are not too sure what particular
reading material would be appropriate for your child,
then you can ask preschool teachers. They surely have
the experience that can greatly help you. You can
also schedule an hour or two of reading for the whole
family.
2 ) Be
interactive.
Every now and then, ask your child questions about
the material you are reading together. This helps
you determine if your child did understand the context
of the material. Ask your child if he or she can relate
the material to certain people or things. Perhaps
your child knows someone from school who is experiencing
what the main character is going through right now?
You should ask your child to predict how the story
would go as well. Do not share your own predictions
just yet, so that your child can think on his or her
own. Ask your child why he or she predicts the outcome
that way.
3) Use
computer programs and educational toys that foster
reading.
Just make sure that they do instill a love
for reading, so that they would not make your child
feel like he or she is doing some chores. More importantly,
they have to be enjoyable.
4)
Set a good example.
Children learn faster by example. Thus, you also have
to set a good example for your child. You also have
to do a lot of reading of your own.
A good
book is way more educational than the cartoon shows
we see on television these days. So, turn the tube
off and pick up a good book, and your child will certainly
follow your example.
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Speech & Language Development
