Nanny to Mommy

It’s common knowledge that reading is an important skill for children, but it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Reading helps children and adults to exercise their minds, become exposed to new ideas, and expand their vocabulary. There’s no “wrong thing” to read because almost everything has a benefit.

However, not every child has a natural inclination to read. Some children would rather watch television, play video games, or do something active. There’s a time and place for everything, including sitting down with a good book. So, how can you make reading less of a chore for your child?

Even when your children are too young to read for themselves, you should instill a love of stories. Reading to your children is a fantastic way to bond with them, and it’s something that comes naturally. Humans have passed on stories since before written language was a thing, so it makes sense that storytelling is something that has stuck around.

Many parents read to their children each night as part of their bedtime routine. Make the bedtime story a treat and let your child have some choice in what you read to them. Bedtime stories also help your child to wind down and get ready for sleep, as opposed to other activities like watching television or their devices that can make it more difficult for them to drift off. If children see this bedtime story as a treat and part of their time spent with their parents, then they will view stories and books positively as well. Once they learn how to read for themselves, then they’re more likely to explore books and find things that call out to them.

While it seems obvious, sometimes parents feel that learning to read should be an almost automatic process. Most of us don’t remember being taught to read, but it’s something that every parent should do for their children.

This is one of the first steps of transitioning from a parent and childminder to a teacher. Teaching your child to read early will help them as they enter the education system, whether you send them to school or educate them yourself.

Teaching your child to read will require patience from both of you. Often, if a child finds something difficult, they will see it as a chore. This can be frustrating for children and parents and pushing your child too far may alienate them from reading. Instead, work with your child’s current reading level and provide material that’s appropriate for them. Using specialized books for emergent readers can help, as these books are designed to help children to develop their reading skills without throwing them into the deep end.

Another option is to introduce your child to audiobooks. Yes, learning how to read is a vital skill that they will need, but audiobooks can expose them to stories and vocabulary without requiring them to sit down with a book. They can listen on the go.