When I was a child, I hated reading. The only thing I ‘read’ was cooking books and that involved mainly looking at the photos. In fact, it was so bad that my parents would blackmail me into reading. They would force me into reading a certain number of pages to then be allowed to go out and play. This method only made me hate reading more and in turn, I viewed reading as a punishment. So if you are one of those parents who are struggling to get your kids to read here are some tips to turn your children into lifelong readers!
Start them off as young as possible!
Reading shouldn’t be an activity that comes into your child’s life because they started school and are behind. Reading should be ingrained in their life from an early age. Remember reading doesn’t just mean your child sits there with a book filled with words. Having books with pictures and a few words is a good start. You can also read to your child; this gets them use to storytelling and is a great bonding exercise.
Have a little mini-library!
Have a small section in their room with a pile of books to choose from. They will probably end up sticking to their favourite book but having options is a good idea. You could even include a chair and table or bean bags to make the mini-library cozier.
Age-appropriate!
Do be sure that the books you have are age-appropriate for your children as otherwise your child will be discouraged. Don’t buy very easy books either as this will lead to boredom when reading. A good way to be certain that the books you have are appropriate for your child is to read with them. If they are struggling to read full sentences, then this isn’t the book for them.
Share ideas and interests.
Your child will enjoy reading books about their interest so knowing what they are interested in will help you shop for books. When you spend time reading with your child, discuss ideas and concepts. This not only is a good recall memory exercise for your kid but also encourages healthy discussions and forming opinions.
Like any relationship in our life, we need to work on the relationship with our child, and here are some ways:
https://www.childcaremalta.mt/building-a-relationship/
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