MUSINGS - THOUGHTS ABOUT READING TO YOUR CHILDREN

I have always read to my girls. It started with my first daughter Tiffany. We read to her every night for approx. 7 years. We first started when she was very young and over time she began to read with us. Eventually, she took to reading on her own. She is now 12 years old and if I would purchase them she could easily read 2 300-400 page novel every two weeks. She absolutely loves to read. My youngest daughter is somewhat different from Tiffany and we did not start reading to her until about 2 years ago. Mostly because when she was very small she simply could not sit still and listen. Now she sits and reads with me and she listen to me. She follows her sister's lead and loves the bookstore. They both keep up with certain books that they like and when they are being released.


The point to all this is that I had always heard that if you read to and with your children than they will love to read. Having heard that in the past I thought, well they either will or they won't like to read. I simply had no idea that by reading to your child not only would they love to read but they would develop many skills way before other children. Reading develops social skills, a willingness to learn and a curiosity to know. Reading helps children learn how to spell, imagine, cope, develop better work habits and the list goes on and on.


I can not tell you just how important it is to read to and with your children. Reading is many things but it is also very inexpensive and the returns are invaluable. Both my girls are excellent students and they have large vocabularies. They are curious and imaginative. They are bright and enthusiastic learners. They have been given a gift that NO money could buy and one that will last a life time. For you see they have been given all the gifts that books have to offer and those gifts are many.


Read to your child, you will be happy that you did.