Getting Your Child into Books

Getting Your Child into Books

by Kofoworola Sarumi

Reading is not just for enjoyment. It develops critical thinking skills, and that is a skill required for life-long success.

Research has shown that when parents create a reading culture in the home, it has a significant impact on a child’s academic performance, cognitive and social development.

Reading should never be a chore and one of the ways to ensure that your child doesn’t see it as a task is to model it.

Have you heard that children are more likely to copy what you do more than what you say?

Well, I remember many times when I am with my phone and my older son asks me,

“Mummy, what are you doing?” I reply by saying, “I am reading.”

Then he goes, “I want to read too.” Immediately, he goes to get his book and starts to read.  And to imagine that he is just learning to read. But because he believes it’s a fun thing to do, he wants to do it as well.

By modelling a reading habit to your child, you are telling him/her that reading is important, and your child will always do likewise.

Another way you can build a reading culture in your child is by reading to your child. I know that this is not easy because I am a parent too, and I understand that after a long day at work, all you want to do is to take a shower and hit the bed. But if you want your child to love reading, you have to be deliberate about ensuring it. Take out 15 minutes to 30 minutes to read to him/ her. Let your child see and hear the words you are both learning newly from reading to get familiar with the words in building his/her vocabulary. Children benefit significantly from read-aloud sessions.

Also, do you know that you can create a reading corner in your home? Yes!

Just the way schools have reading corners, parents can create reading corners in their homes.

The reading corner should be bright, cosy and comfortable and filled with a range of age-appropriate books.

In addition, as a parent, you should buy your children books regularly. Get your children a variety of age-appropriate books and keep the books visible and accessible to them. Books hidden will quickly be forgotten. Therefore, keep the books in colourful bookcases they can easily reach.

One thing you must never fail to do is to ask questions after reading. After your child has finished reading the book, ask questions and talk about the book as this will enhance your child’s comprehension skills, develop his/her speaking skills and increase family bonding.

In conclusion, I will leave you with this quote by Margaret Fuller;

“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”

Want your child to reason and think like a leader, surround him/her with books!

Kofoworola Sarumi

Literacy Executive Team Lead Assistant

Jordan Hill Creative Writing & Reading Workshop.