Raise A Reader With These 4 Habits

It’s been said the earlier we instill the value of reading in our children’s lives the better their own lives will be.

It is key to their academic future, builds character but another central aspect is that it fans the flame of their inner curiosity to question everything.

Think about it.

Do you recall the moment you fell in love with reading?

If so, you were likely young and would stay up for hours on end weaving through story plot lines to uncover as much detail as possible.

By continuously reading, you were also doing the following:

Improving your vocabulary
Increasing your attention span
Improving concentration

These are just a few of the many benefits of reading that if instilled early on, hold maximum value later on in life.

Reading Habits Have Compounding Benefits

It is interesting to note that early readers not only become lifelong readers, but also lifelong learners. Longitudinal studies have shown that early readers continue to get higher grades than their peers through grade school.

— Teach Reading Early

Although we regard reading from an early age as ideal, it’s not necessary nor should we place too much emphasis on it. Instead, we should aim to make reading fun and rewarding as much as possible in hopes that our kids will continue to read later on.

If they are actively reading now then they will better prepared with understanding any reading material being taught at school.

This is because they’ll be exposed to more vocabulary than a child who does not read at all and so, they’ll be more able to pick up skills that go beyond reading.

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The tricky thing is getting them to read because nowadays, technology is so ingrained in society in that young kids are being given tablets as opposed to being shown how to read.

How do we combat this?

We start off exposing our kids to as much reading and writing in everyday life by showing how we as adults use it to go about our day.

Steps To Do Each and Every Day

In order for the view to shift in seeing reading as a chore, we have to show our kids that reading is and CAN be fun.

And what better way to do that than by practicing what we preach, because oftentimes young children will call you out for making them do something that they don’t see you doing.

1. Reading Should Be Immersive

To start, get them involved in your daily routine such as if you’re going out for groceries for instance, have them

Create a list of items to get and have them read out loud everything when in the store.
If you want to do a DIY project, have them take the lead in reading the instructions on how to do it. It’s totally okay if they stumble on some words but what counts is making sure you’re positively encouraging them to try.
One thing that kids love for sure? Helping to cook! Yup, have them help whip something up and see if they can direct you how to cook whatever thing based on them reading the instructions.

If we include them in our day to day activities along with speaking in clear full sentences, your child’s vocabulary will expand that much more.

This will prove helpful in the long run as they’ll be able to express themselves in a constructive way rather than give into a meltdown.

2. Set The Reading Mood

Every child should have their own designated reading nook where they feel comfortable and it enables reading.

Set up a fort and drape over sheets on a few chairs, the good thing is you can get as creative as you want!

But what it also means is that if you want your child to read, you should also set the example and show them they should want to be excited to read.

Set books everywhere around the house and don’t discourage comics or manga usage because in the end, it’s still a type of book.

We ought to remember that,

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.” — Kate DiCamillo

Another thing to note is that reading and writing go hand in hand, so to encourage that routine make sure to have pens, pencils, markers and paper readily available.

Doing all of those activities, and setting up reading time with your child means that they’ll learn to view reading as being associated with spending quality time with people they love.

3. Cheer Them On

Nothing makes a child keep up a habit more than a continuous feedback loop because if they are praised for their efforts, they will want to continue doing it.

That’s because personal recognition is a better driver than physical rewards that’ll fuel them to continue learning and reading.

Simple phrases like “Good Job” or “Awesome!” can do wonders for a child because they make them feel confident in their own abilities.

Continue to encourage they read whichever topic they find interesting, as long as it’s age appropriate of course!

Then engage in a discussion by asking them questions about what they read, as they will probably be more than happy to share whatever cool stuff they learned.

4. Reward Their Good Efforts

In order for kids to continue loving reading and associating it with having a great time, what better way to do that than by rewarding them for it?

This could be taking them out on a day trip, or watching a movie where they read the book first and want to see it come to life visually.

Fond memories can also be made by going to a bookstore or library where they can get lost in the sea of available books.

Of course, if you’re unable to visit a local library you can always look online for free ePub books or purchase them should you wish.

Afterwards, aim to make it enjoyable by taking your child out to the park or in your backyard and just read.

Or you can turn to Pinterest which comes in handy if you’re unsure on how to turn your living space into a comfy reading space.

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To recap, we understand that by showing our kids how to love reading their lives in turn can prove to be very enriching in the long run.

A love for reading means they will be life-long learners which helps prevent age related issues such as cognitive decline and could help lengthen their lifespan.

They’ll also be able to build their vocabulary earlier on which can help them express themselves in a constructive manner and aid in academic success.

Nonetheless, we should remember that reading should and always be a fun outlet to venture into to learn new things or be a part of a superhero plot.

What are your thoughts on the benefits and reading? Was there anything else that you think should’ve been added? Let me know in the comments below!

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Previously published on medium

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