ABC of Encouraging Reading
- Dec 2, 2018
- 2 min read
Parents who read are appalled when their kid's don't and parents who don't read are desperate for their kids to develop a love for this habit. So, is there a formula that will inculcate this habit in kids? Yes & no...
No because there are some things that are genetically wired; parents who read have a greater chance that their offsprings are bookworms, but even in these families there are going to be non-readers who don't want to have anything to do with books.
And yes because there are things that will influence whether or not your child wants to read. What are these factors, you ask. With varying degrees of effectiveness, depending on the child's personality, here is the ABC of things that will help your tiny tots learn to love the tomes:
Adopt: Make reading a family activity just like dinner time or watching TV together. This turns it from being something optional to an activity that they gradually learn to enjoy. Starting with even 10 minutes a day is enough. Work your way to half an hour and more as the kids warm up to it. This is good not just for their personal growth, but also gives them an edge over their peers in their academic pursuits.
Bond: Hanging out with smokers exposes you to second hand smoke and over time you may not be as averse to it as you initially were. The same is true in case of other habits. When your kid has friends who value reading over gadgets and gizmos, your child will take it up sooner or later. This lets them bond over their shared love for books and gives them much more to talk about and discuss. They are less likely to veer towards playing games on tablets and phones as they will more likely be looking forward to catching up with their friends' reading lists than with other kids' digital conquests. Being a part of a formal reading group is a wonderful step in this direction.
Consistency: Surround them with books. Having them around gives them ample reason to pick one up and flip through it just for curiosity and this could be the stepping stone to higher ambition. Subscribe to magazines that would appeal to them; there is no such thing as wasted books, it saves you regrets about not having given them opportunities when they mattered. If they don't read the material you get, another kid might. Create a designated space where books can be accessed and make it a fun place where they love to hang out.
Lastly, cheer for every word, line, paragraph, chapter and book read. Make it something to celebrate and look forward to.
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