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With times changing, our daily habits have also changed a lot. When the world had no mobiles and no televisions, people have always turned towards books and radios for entertainment. Nowadays things have become so easily accessible, most people avoid “wasting” their time by not reading any books. Even books have become digital increasing the exposure of screen timing.
For me, it has always been different. I prefer my lazy Sundays to be in a cozy corner of the house, reading a book, with a cup of tea. My parents have always encouraged me for reading books since childhood, in fact, now there are so many books at my house that there are no more places to keep them. But kids these days are hardly into books anymore and parents hardly think that it is a problem.
Reading helps brain development and makes the kid keen to know more. Words can also paint very pretty pictures. Books have taught me a lot about life, not only with words but with emotions. I still love reading my childhood books as well as new books. A good story for me never gets old. There is a feeling of fulfillment whenever I read books. One day I am hiking in the thick African forests, while the next day I am seating beside Jim Corbett and looking out for a man-eating tiger. By staying physically in one place I have traveled the world and seen it not with eyes but with words.
Reading has a lot of benefits for people of every age. Benefits of reading for children-
More mental stimulation.
Teaches them empathy.
Gives rest from continuously staring at screens.
Doesn’t tire the eyes out.
Helps in better sleep.
Initiates a bonding process with parents.
Widens the imagination.
Nothing is easily achievable in this world, and only when you put effort you get the best results. The following 5 points will help you to not only make your kid start loving books but will also help to strengthen the bond between parents and children.
Encouragement-
From an early childhood give them books, full of bright colors and pictures. When they choose a book or finish a book, encourage them with positivity. Your encouragements mean that reading is a fun process and not a boring one.
Make them read-
Every child likes bedtime stories but nowadays even stories are digital. During bedtime, take the digital things away and bring out a book of your child’s choice. But rather than you reading to them, make them read it to you. The child will first face a bit of difficulty while reading but when it becomes a daily habit, they will start enjoying it and so will you. This tactic was taken by my mother during my childhood. At that time we never had so many things to keep us entertained. So every night, she will come up to me with a book full of fairytales and tell me to read it out loud. That’s how I developed my love for reading.
Gift them books-
Toys and dresses are something that is bound to get old and the day will come when they will be of no use. But books make a very nice gift. They have the longest shelf life. Gifting books will not only make your kid eager to learn more but when they grow up they will always hold those close to their heart. There are even different puzzles and games where children can learn vocabularies and enhance the process of mental stimulation.
Make them their reading place-
Reading needs a peaceful ambiance. To understand every word for a child is already tough, but when you add a chaotic ambiance with it, things start going down. If possible create a small place at one corner of a room with separators and decorate it with imaginations by your children. That place will be their world, with their books and few toys, comfortable seating, and study lights. Make sure they don’t carry any gadgets there because gadgets can ruin the aura of reading.
Establish a family reading time-
In my house there is a very strict rule from my mother, nobody carries the phone to the dinner table and the TV is not switched on. Dinner means family time, that’s when we bond and talk about our day. The same happens when we start discussing books. We discuss genres and authors and so much more. By doing this we also get to know more about each other. So I like to say “families who read together, stays together.”
At your kid’s young age, you have to be their friend, philosopher, and guide. If they are seeing their parents always glued to the digital world they will learn the same and earn nothing more than a thick glass to cover the strained eyes. So before you teach them, first teach yourself. Cause at the end of the day, your child looks upon you and learns to face the tough life from you.
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