Why Parents Should Read To Their Children
The world is full of digital screens, including TVs, computers, phones, and other devices, and although you might not like them, as a parent, it’s important to know that as your children grow, these screens are only going to become more and more prevalent, and they’ll need to know how to use them for their future careers as well as entertainment.
However, it’s also important to remember that reading is a skill all children will benefit from, and a screen can never replace a book. It’s a good idea to instill a love of reading in your children from an early age, so they can reap all the benefits that reading brings. One way to do this is to read to your children – here are the reasons why this is a great idea.
Give Them A Love Of Reading
Studies have shown that children who are around books and who are read to from an early age are much more likely to develop a lifelong love of reading. Just the act of snuggling up with a parent and getting involved in the story they’re listening to will give them a positive feeling about reading, and when they are old enough to do it by themselves, they’ll want to because it makes them feel happy and reminds them of times with their parents.
Why is this important? It’s because those children who enjoy reading tend to have more success at school. They’ll do extra work because they like the reading that goes with it, and they’ll finish the books they’re allocated at school with time to spare. They’ll also have good imaginations and be curious, and that will help them massively at school as well.
Language Development & Learning
Reading aloud to children will introduce them to new words from a young age, and they’ll be able to develop their language much earlier and with a bigger vocabulary. When they’re very young, a child can absorb a lot of information and use it well, so the more words, phrases, and sentence structures they come across when you’re reading to them, the more they’ll know and can use it in their own lives.
Plus, children like to ask questions, so if they’re not sure what something means, they’ll ask for an explanation. This will help them learn even more, and if the answer isn’t something you’re sure about, you can learn too when you find out the answer. There is also another learning opportunity. You can also show them how to take care of their eyesight by making sure you read in good lighting and wear your glasses from Just-glasses.co.uk if need be; there are many lessons children can learn from reading together.
Emotional Bonding
If nothing else, the act of reading to your children is a wonderful way to form a strong emotional bond. You’ll be sitting or lying together sharing an exciting story with your little ones, and you can be excited together, empathize with the characters together, and just generally spend time with one another when you might not be able to otherwise.
This is why it’s so important to carve out time to read to your children. Just ten minutes before bed can be a great idea, as it can become part of their bedtime routine and become something they – and you – really look forward to each night.
