Everyone knows how important reading is to children and in life, but sometimes we adults forget to remember that reading should form a main part of our day to day to not only nourish our brain and enhance all its abilities, but also to cultivate our soul. From children we must have reading as a moment of pleasure and leisure that enhances the enjoyment and delight of written letters.
But unfortunately this is not always the case. On many occasions, children (and adults) feel that reading is torture, they feel that it is an obligation and if they can avoid it they will do so without hesitation for a second. Chen this happens it is because since children have been young they have tried to instill reading as something compulsory, competitive and on many occasions, without respecting the natural rhythm of the child and his evolution to introduce the right moment for him to start reading.
Reading is a child's natural process that begins with the curiosity to know more about letters. If this curiosity is enhanced, we can have children who love reading and want to know more and feed their soul with stories and knowledge. For this reason, since children are young, it is necessary to promote reading from curiosity and interest, because only with motivation will they be able to find the benefits of reading and be able to enjoy them during all the years of their lives.
Enhance the interests of the child
For a child to feel curious and interested in reading, he must be allowed to choose the book that really interests him, that motivates him and that gives him satisfaction when he finishes reading it. From a young age, children should have in their library books that are appropriate to their maturational level and also to their personal tastes.In this way they will be able to feel the need to come closer, pick up a book and enjoy the written words.
For this, there must be respect for the interests of the child, regardless of what they are. (As long as they are appropriate to his maturity level, for example a 6-year-old child will not understand a science book of expert levels, but if he likes science, he can have science books appropriate to his age so that he can better understand the concepts covered in the book).
It doesn't matter if a child likes princess books or if your daughter is interested in car books ... It is necessary for parents to respect the tastes of their children so that they are the ones who have control of their interests. Children need to be respected in all aspects and a fundamental one to be able to promote reading in the little ones in the house is undoubtedly respecting their interests in the books they choose.
If you do not have respect for the interests of children, then it will be when they begin to feel demotivated by reading and all that it entails. It is a risk that is best not taken so that children can continue to be motivated and curious to read.
Beware of demotivating
Following the previous point, I would like to emphasize that I have seen at times during my professional career how parents themselves have discouraged their children's interest in reading.
Although it is clear that this intention is good because parents do what they think is best for their children, it is not the right way. It is not correct because the personality and interests of children are not taken into account on many occasions.
For example, if a child wants to read a comic because he likes it or a horror book that is within his age range and the parents do not like it and forbid it, it is like forbidding him to read something that interests him, you are vetoing the opportunity for your child to become a good reader. And surely after a ban the other alternatives will not be well received by the little ones.
Cultivate reading at home
To cultivate reading it is necessary for parents to have a certain commitment to find reading improvement not only in their children but in the whole family, starting with them first. As parents to cultivate reading it is necessary that they be able to take into account some important keys:
- Be the best example of reading for your children, that they see them read every day and give importance to the reading.
- Read to children from a very young age so that they can link reading with a pleasant and enjoyable moment… and not with an obligation.
- Respect children's interests in reading.
- To be able to guide the children to choose the appropriate reading, but not in thematic but in the age range.
- Spend a reading moment each day with the children to strengthen the bond between parents and children and children - reading.
- Make children see and feel the importance of reading in any area of life today.
- Provide a reading space in the home that is easily accessible and attractive to children.
In addition, it is necessary to remember the importance of paternal patience in terms of children's reading and how it is crucial to stop the fast and timeless lifestyle that we have in order to empower our children to read.
Sometimes, parents may love to read but don't know how to organize themselves in time due to daily stress and they are unable to make time to read with their children every day, not even to read to themselves. As if that were not enough, if children have to read for school, they are forced and pressured, causing them to feel frustration and even aversion to reading. It is necessary to understand and respect their rhythms of learning and evolution in reading.
What are your children's favorite readings? Do you allow them freedom in choosing what topics to read?