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By Lily
Morgan
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Raising a child who loves
books can be easy, if you have a plan. However, you must
keep in mind that no matter how well you prepare to
foster a love of books in your child, other influences
may keep her from being a reader. All you can do as a
parent is provide the encouragement, but the rest is up
to your child.
One thing
you can do to encourage a love of books is to read to
your child from infancy on. This teaches her that
reading involves special time with mom and dad. She will
associate books with affection, which encourages a sense
of security and a love for books as objects that bring
security to her. |
As your child matures and is able to
play with toys on her own, provide books that she can
touch, chew, and bang around. Even if she ends up
destroying them, she will begin to associate books with
having fun.
Sometimes small children
want the same book read repeatedly in the same sitting.
As an adult, this may feel like a tedious chore. Do it
anyway. Repetitive reading is one of the best ways
children learn new words. Do not force your child to
listen to a book if she is giving you signals that she
would rather do something else. When children are young,
reading must be a pleasant experience.
As your child begins to
read, give her a special place in the house that is her
reading corner. It could be a beanbag pillow in her
bedroom or a special child-sized rocking chair in the
living room. While reading doesn’t have to be done only
in this corner, having that special place set aside for
reading will make it feel like a special event in her
day. Let her choose the reading chair in a special
shopping trip with mom or dad.
Once your child begins
learning how to read, you should still read to her. This
will improve her vocabulary as you introduce her to
words she has never heard or seen before. Take turns
reading paragraphs or sentences to make reading a group
effort.
If you find that your child
does not like to read, you may be tempted to bribe her
to read. Avoid this if you can. Bribery does not
cultivate a love of books. It teaches your child that
reading is something to be endured for a reward.
Instead, try to figure out why she doesn’t like to read.
Are the books you have offered her boring to her? Does
she have a reading disability that needs to be
addressed? Does she need glasses? Try to find books that
appeal to her, even if they are not topics you are
interested in, and read those books with her.
Finally, model good reading
behavior whenever you can. Your children should see you
reading a wide variety of materials. You should read
books, magazines, newspapers, and even advertisements.
Your child will learn from your example that reading is
something to be enjoyed every day of her life.
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