"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go." — Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

Reading is the cornerstone of all learning, and its benefits are both cerebral and emotional: reading makes you smarter and it keeps you sharp as you age; it boosts analytical skills; increases vocabulary; improves writing skills and memory. It is also a great escape from life’s everyday stresses!

The love of reading is the single most important gift a parent can give a child. From the time a baby can sit up, parents should hold their babies close and read, talk, and sing to them. Almost immediately, your baby will start reacting to mirrors and pictures of faces, shapes, colors. By six to 12 months of age, your baby will seek tactile responses and want to touch the book or place it in his or her mouth. As the child gets older, he or she will enjoy the basic stories contained within the pages of the books. Most libraries have mom-tot programs that incorporate a thematic story time and book selection. Seek out activities at your local library or books store. They are important first steps to growing the “love of books.”

Unfortunately, when children transition into school, reading tends to become an arduous task. In our world of instant gratification, we fail to remember that children learn to read step-by-step in a process that takes time and patience; each child grasps the concepts at his or her own pace.

Children who are slow to catch on may feel dejected; they are subjected to reading aloud in class, sent to visit reading specialists, and judged by other children unfairly. It is easy to see why reading may become a dreaded activity, especially when homework includes keeping a daily reading log.

At home reading activities should be casual, creative, and stress-free. Leave a newspaper on the counter and mention that you had begun to read an article; ask him or her to read it to you. Have them spell out any words of which they are unsure. While cooking dinner or making a special dessert, let your child read the recipe aloud. When shopping, let them read the circulars, food labels, or birthday cards, before selecting the right one. If done right, your child may not even know your ulterior motivation.

The most obvious benefit of reading is that practice makes perfect; the more you read the accomplished you become. The following strategies are good active reading habits that will help any build reading and comprehension skills:

• Lead by example: Shut off the television, power off the cell phone and read side by side. If your child has a mandated 15 minutes per night, use that time to catch up on your reading. Better yet, go to the library and take out a book. Show your child that reading can be as entertaining as a sitcom  Focus on one sentence at a time: Seeing too many words on the page may become distracting, causing your child to lose his or her place. Use an index card or blank piece of paper to cover everything except the sentence that your child is reading. When they finish a line, move the card down and repeat the process.
  
  
•  Point to the words: Encourage your child to follow their reading with their finger, or non sharpened pencil. This technique is beneficial to visual learners. Eventually, they will recognize the repetition of a word in context.
  
  
•  Take turns reading aloud or mouth the words: When reading at home, give your child an opportunity to read out load. Whenever possible, switch places and read out load to them. For auditory learners, hearing the words as they are visualized will improve comprehension.
   
• Discuss what you have read: Close the book and ask your child to take a few minutes to explain what he or she just read. If the text is pertinent to an exam, help your child by writing a few notes to review. Both techniques will help him or her to retain the information and recall it the next day.
  
  In the world of video games, Tik-tok, cell phones, Kindles, and computers, sitting quietly with a book can appear to a boring activity. Yet, nurturing the love of reading and ensuring that your emergent reader understands what he or she is reading will prepare them for a lifetime of entertainment.

 

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