How many of us like Reading books? Many of us, don't we?
Reading, not necessarily those weighty tomes, even Tinkles, Amar-Chitra-Kathas, Archies and Tin-tins provide comfort and let us stay absorbed for at least a wee bit of time. For, the world that we live in today is loaded with distractions in the form of TV, Laptop, Tablets, Smart Phones, Internet (Oh! The list seems endless)...where Multi-tasking rules (read ruins) us...where most of the family dinner times are spent viewing TV...where time with our loved ones is disbursed peeking into the lappie...where time in restroom that gives so much relief is spent looking for Facebook/twitter updates in smart phones...At times, I wonder who our real family and friends are??
Kids of this generation do have a lot of distractions and it becomes the sole responsibility of the parents to instill habits and hobbies in them that will last a lifetime and let them stay focused. Reading is one such therapeutic interest that kids could love right from a very young age, say right from they are 6 months old (and some kids right from they are born). And yes! It is no joke! Take a book (this needn't have to be Alphabets/Animals/Fruits/Numbers book, it could just be a storybook with predominantly bright pictures) and try reading it to your 3 month old everyday. You will be surprised to see that your little one will start to smile and coo every time you begin reading that book. Once your baby is ready to crawl and reach out for things, you definitely will be awed to see them pull their favorite book out of the clutter of toys and books and gesturing to you to read. My daughter who is now 14 months old pulls down all the books she has and is so engrossed when she flips through them. And slowly she starts the ceremony of fetching the books one by one to me (or to her dad) to read.
Reading can act as a bed-time ritual too. Read a book to your baby as her nap time or sleep time nears for a few days. She will understand that she needs to sleep when you read to her for a while. And, she does go to sleep; well, at least most days. There could be days when the book could put the parent to sleep and the child would want to read more and more. Reading for toddlers and preschoolers can act as pacifiers, especially when they have temper tantrums and are not in the best of their moods. Pick a book they enjoy reading the most and the moment you start reading you will find that they are calmer and are more inclined to listen to you (After finishing the book, that is!!).
Once a child goes to school and learns to read on his own, he is so happy and enthused to read all by himself. So much so that, he drags his parents to a book store or to the library to get more books home. Books can come as a great companion always. More so, when you have to travel for hours and hours. Older children like to read new books, however toddlers and preschoolers prefer books they have read over and over again. It gives young kids a sense of security in a new place (or as you travel) to do things they are already used to.
Reading if inculcated right a very young age can let a child stay absorbed in his own world
(at least when required), even when the world outside is bombarded with attention craving amusements.
Reading to your child dearest, why not give it a try???
Reading, not necessarily those weighty tomes, even Tinkles, Amar-Chitra-Kathas, Archies and Tin-tins provide comfort and let us stay absorbed for at least a wee bit of time. For, the world that we live in today is loaded with distractions in the form of TV, Laptop, Tablets, Smart Phones, Internet (Oh! The list seems endless)...where Multi-tasking rules (read ruins) us...where most of the family dinner times are spent viewing TV...where time with our loved ones is disbursed peeking into the lappie...where time in restroom that gives so much relief is spent looking for Facebook/twitter updates in smart phones...At times, I wonder who our real family and friends are??
Kids of this generation do have a lot of distractions and it becomes the sole responsibility of the parents to instill habits and hobbies in them that will last a lifetime and let them stay focused. Reading is one such therapeutic interest that kids could love right from a very young age, say right from they are 6 months old (and some kids right from they are born). And yes! It is no joke! Take a book (this needn't have to be Alphabets/Animals/Fruits/Numbers book, it could just be a storybook with predominantly bright pictures) and try reading it to your 3 month old everyday. You will be surprised to see that your little one will start to smile and coo every time you begin reading that book. Once your baby is ready to crawl and reach out for things, you definitely will be awed to see them pull their favorite book out of the clutter of toys and books and gesturing to you to read. My daughter who is now 14 months old pulls down all the books she has and is so engrossed when she flips through them. And slowly she starts the ceremony of fetching the books one by one to me (or to her dad) to read.
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| I sneak peeked my daughter immersed in her world of bliss |
Reading can act as a bed-time ritual too. Read a book to your baby as her nap time or sleep time nears for a few days. She will understand that she needs to sleep when you read to her for a while. And, she does go to sleep; well, at least most days. There could be days when the book could put the parent to sleep and the child would want to read more and more. Reading for toddlers and preschoolers can act as pacifiers, especially when they have temper tantrums and are not in the best of their moods. Pick a book they enjoy reading the most and the moment you start reading you will find that they are calmer and are more inclined to listen to you (After finishing the book, that is!!).
Once a child goes to school and learns to read on his own, he is so happy and enthused to read all by himself. So much so that, he drags his parents to a book store or to the library to get more books home. Books can come as a great companion always. More so, when you have to travel for hours and hours. Older children like to read new books, however toddlers and preschoolers prefer books they have read over and over again. It gives young kids a sense of security in a new place (or as you travel) to do things they are already used to.
Reading if inculcated right a very young age can let a child stay absorbed in his own world
(at least when required), even when the world outside is bombarded with attention craving amusements.
Reading to your child dearest, why not give it a try???
1 comment:
Lol, this parent here ALWAYS sleeps while erading books to her kids :o). Nice post, reminded me of how my Dad would tell me about the way he got me into reading .
He would never ever call me, he would simply sit in his chair and start reading the book aloud every single day. Slowly, I would crawl onto his lap and look at the pictures, it seems. Sometimes he would deliberately hold the book the wrong way, and I would slowly turn it the right way for him. Sometimes he would point to a picture and say the wrong things just to watch me nod my apprehension , not letting him proceed until he got the description right. The he would leave the book down in a place where I could see it and pretend to walk away. Immediately I used to take the book in my hand and read aloud (must be blabber back then) just like Dad!
This was 34 years ago and I have never kept a book down since. It is the most precious heirloom I have received from him.
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