It's 7 O'Clock, have you read to your children yet?
By dragonstar13
@dragonstar13 (1465)
United States
March 4, 2007 9:15pm CST
Just a reminder that studies show children who are read to from an early age and are encouraged to read daily do better in school. I just put my 1 year old granddaughter to bed, after we read Fox in Sox together. Granted we only make it through about four pages before she starts turning pages and trying to read to me, but that is all part of getting ready to read. I have been through this with the other three grandkids that I helped raise and they all are in the top half of their classes at school.
It only needs to take 10 - 30 minutes a night but it is a wonderful way to bond with your children, help ensure their success, get them settled down and ready for sleep.
Get a book, read to your kids, or if they are older, have them read to you.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
5 Mar 07
My son is 8 so sometimes we read, other times we don't. A lot of that really depends on what time he goes to bed. Even if we don't read at night, quite often we will read together in the evenings or I will help him if he gets stuck in a book he is reading.
2 people like this
@marymarj2002 (1769)
• Philippines
6 Mar 07
Yes, that can help kids to love reading books. Parents should encourage their kids to love books and one way of doing it is by reading them. I will buy books now so that I can read to my child. He is still four months old but I have read a book that at this stage though they can't fully understand what is the book content is it is the starting stage for learning for kids.
1 person likes this
@dragonstar13 (1465)
• United States
6 Mar 07
Even at four months, reading is educational for a child. Listening to your voice, hearing the rhythm and the pattern of the words will form the foundation of your child's language, the very beginning of reading. In time you will hear your child cooing and gurgling, listen carefully and you may hear that he is repeating the tempo and rhythm of your speech.
Keep up the good work, you are giving your child a gift that will last a lifetime.
@dragonstar13 (1465)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I'm sorry to hear you missed out on that, I hope you read now though. I find books to be a wonderful escape, a source of information and entertainment.
@cjthedog64 (1552)
• United States
5 Mar 07
My DS is 14 months. We read a few times every day. He loves his books and will read them on his own, and we read together. Books are always around. At bedtime we usually read for about 20 minutes, more if he picks out another book and says "pweeze!" I can't say no to that! :-) He loves his books, says 60+ words and is very bright. I have no doubt that reading has contributed to that.
I also have SS15 and SD12. I've read to them every night they were at our house from the time they were 2 and 6, until 2 years ago when I got pregnant and we realized that I'd have to spend the time focused on the baby. They aren't big readers themselves, but they do appreciate it a little more than they would have. I tried to expose them to a wide variety of literature.
1 person likes this
@pooweasel719 (49)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I have two wonderful boys, 2 and 1. We read constantly at my house, be it together or alone. My 2 year old often pulls his baby brother aside and reads to him, it is too cute! I read all the time anyway, and my boys definitely picked up on that!
1 person likes this
@ragmama (536)
• United States
5 Mar 07
What a lovely reminder. :) My daughter is three and we read together throughout the day - and always, always a book at both naptime and bedtime. I don't think she'd go to bed without them. The girl's favorite thing in the world is a trip to the library, and she'll already sit quietly in her room and "read" to herself. I love to see my own love of books already so evident in her, and can't wait to watch her learn to read on her own.
@dragonstar13 (1465)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I love hearing the little ones "read" the story in their own words. It's just so cute, but my sister, the kindergarten teacher, says it is also a vital part of learning to read.
Glad to hear your daughter is developing a love of books.
