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Sunday, October 28, 2012

How Reading with your Children can Inspire a Lifetime of Learning



Parents are always looking for new ways to bond with their children, and if those methods can also improve their child’s future performance in school and in life, then the benefits are magnified. Reading with children, even when they are infants and toddlers, can largely determine their capacity to learn throughout the remainder of their life. Children who possess a love of reading have a thirst for knowledge and a natural curiosity that will serve them well in school and in the years after their formal education is complete.

Reading Is Not Intuitive

Reading is such a fundamental part of life for most adults that we take much of it for granted. Our own process of learning that books are read from front to back, that pages are read from top to bottom and that words are read from left to right is buried so deeply within our early experiences that we’ve forgotten that there was ever a time when these things might have been mysterious for us. By reading with your child from an early age, they begin to process these facts, giving them a learning advantage when they begin preschool and elementary school. 

Language Development

As you read along with your child, using a finger to point out words and images within the book, they experience new sounds and new vocabulary. Before long, they’ll be using these words in conversation, and they may also begin to sound out words in books on their own. Regular reading with your child encourages their brain to make neural connections that will enhance their ability to use and understand language. They may begin talking sooner and will have better vocabulary than peers who have not been read to as much.

Increased Attention Span

The transition into preschool or elementary school is often difficult. This can be particularly true for children who are not accustomed to being asked to sit still and attend to an activity for a certain time period. Regularly reading to your child can substantially ease this transition. Though a toddler may initially show signs of restlessness while reading a book, they gradually expand their ability to focus and pay attention. Soon, they are able to be attentive throughout the reading of a book. This ability serves them well in their initial school experiences, and these students are usually able to increase their attention span through successive school years. The ability to concentrate for relatively long periods of time makes it possible for your child to succeed in school and life.

Reading Fosters Curiosity

A child’s natural interest in cars may lead you to purchase a book about cars. This interest may then grow to encompass other forms of transportation like buses, trucks and trains. Next, your child is fascinated by airplanes and rocket ships. Before you know it, your child is reading about outer space and traveling to distant lands. An interest in one simple thing can lead to a multitude of other interests. This curiosity about the interconnectedness of the world is something that is necessary for any scholar and will encourage your child to seek out meaningful experiences throughout their lifetime.

Nurturing Bonds

Time spent reading with your child is a chance to cuddle and laugh together. It’s an experience shared by you and your child, teaching him that reading is a positive bonding opportunity. Your child will quickly learn that reading can bring people closer together. You’ll also find that your child communicates better when you read regularly to her. A shared reading experience fuels good conversation, and your child will be more likely to read in the future to help strengthen interpersonal relationships and their knowledge of the world.

Logical Thinking

Through reading, children become familiar with concepts like cause and consequence. They may receive information about values and relationships. Reading provides children with important critical thinking skills that they will use throughout their life. They become better able to recognize a coherent chain of events rather than assuming that actions have random consequences. This ability to seek out the reasons why something is happening is a tool that will serve your child throughout the span of their life. 

Author Bio
Joe Johnson is an avid blogger who contributes to a number of publications on a range of topics from study habits, research, and educational awareness. Click here to learn more about specific MBA programs for continuing your education.  


photo credit: www.inmagine.com/

25 comments:

  1. MY two children are use to us reading to them often times especially during bed time or nap time. Its a great activity for both parents and kids.

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  2. Me and hubby read books or tell stories to our son. If I am lazy then hubby will do it. Just like tonight he is the one who tell a story...It is true it will really give a great benefits to our kids.

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  3. Reading with and for the kids is the best way to bring messages across, aside from all that's cited, the material read to kids can be a great way to instill in them values.

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  4. great informative tips here...daughter is into reading, and I'm hoping she'll continue the love for reading till she gets older.

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  5. Reading good and informative books is something we would encourage our child to do. This can truly help widen her knowledge.

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  6. well said! and thanks for that tips. those are indeed true. I envied those parents who have the passion to read to their child everyday. We are actually told to read for at least 20 minutes to our children each day that way they'll grow up with an appreciation of the importance of the books and would love to read them naturally.

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  7. My daughter loves reading books,even though she's still young she already have the passion for it.Reading a book with your kids is also a bonding time.

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  8. That is why I make it a point to encourage my child to read. It is also a great bonding moment for us.

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  9. My kid prefers reading and drawing (doodling) more than playing with toys. I introduced her to reading early on. But she's slowly losing interest because of television. I need to lessen her tv time na talaga.

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  10. Love for reading that starts from childhood is one of the secrets of success in future endeavors.

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  11. This! I have a toddler and she now have a collection of books we read for bed time stories.

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  12. I completely agree with the spirit of this post. My own mother gave me books at age 2 (so the story goes) - and the love of reading (and later on, writing) was instilled in me since. My home in the future will definitely have a library, the scene of our family bonding time, hopefully.

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  13. Sad ako since, never did occurred sa childhood days ng mga kids ko, that I spent time reading books with them. Though, my wife did regular bedtime book reading time and encouraged my kids to appreciate books.

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  14. Reading with kids is really good as it attracts them to the idea that reading is fun and they will look forward to it as soon as they can read on their own.

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  15. I'm so guilty about not letting my kids read at an early age. Now, it's too late for me to make them love books. They do read stories online. I have to start reading with my youngest son so as to boost his interest in this field.

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  16. I believe that time itself devoted for the child is already an added factor that makes reading fun for children as trust develops in the process. It creates a certain bond between the parent/s and the child that shall prosper the learning ability and curiosity of the child .

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  17. i agree with this. most moms now are at the age of young adults because of teenage pregnancy and they tend to get a yaya for their child because simple the mother and child are both immature. This is a very good example

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  18. Although I'm not a parent yet, I make sure that I set aside some time in reading books to some of my god children (6 years old and 7 months old). I feel enriched and happy to know that I've been doing most of the points that was written on this article. I actually read a few baby books and use my fingers to show the images to my 7-month old god son. He usually seems to be attentive and responsive whenever I read to him. :)

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  19. I love reading too! I guess I passed on that habit of reading to my kids too! They also get to choose their own books when buying! I also make sure they are comprehending what's being read!

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  20. Agree with all the points here. I'm just starting to read for my kids now. It's a bit late I know but still I could see their yearning and eagerness to learn. I'm not a wide reader but I want to instill to my kids its importance.

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  21. I don't have any children but I do encourage my nieces to read by buying them the books that they like. And I make sure that they really read it because after a week, I asked them questions about the book and gladly they answer me correctly. Now they belong to the top 5 of their class =)

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  22. that is so true! i love to read with my kids, and because of it they develop the love of learning. and full of imagination.

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  23. I don't remember having been read bedtime stories when we were kids. I remember being taught to read though. There are letters and numbers posted on our wall so we can familiarize with them faster. hihihi...

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  24. I agree with you Mommy Tess and of course s expected you've done a great job with this post. This post can surely help parents on how to give the best of learning to their children.

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  25. reading is very helpful indeed! and what was mentioned here was the reasons why I started a small library in our house and little by little incorporate reading to my kids' life :)

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