Parenting Tips: 5 Effective tips to raise a reader

Schoolyard Scholars: 5 Effective ways to raise a reader

ashley

04 Sep 2017

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. Read on to find out out how to raise your little one to be a reader!

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Start early
Research shows that children at a young age are constantly internalising and making sense of everything they hear. Surprisingly, the cognitive and literacy skills of babies develop when they are exposed to a wide range of vocabulary. Therefore, the sooner you expose your little ones to words, the faster they begin to develop coherent thought and in turn, necessary literacy skills needed for reading!
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Practice what you preach
It would be awfully hypocritical to expect your child to read when you don't! At a young age, the minds of children are easily impressionable and prone to influence. It is likely that they look to adults for guidance and instruction.

Therefore, it is entirely plausible that your child would be less likely to pick up a book if he hasn't seen you do the same! So, got a 15 minute break after lunch? Why don't you crack open a novel and practice what you preach to your little ones?
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Make reading a family culture
Coercing your child to read need not be difficult if you establish it as a family value. Make reading a customary part of your day instead of just a before-bedtime activity. By doing so, your child will begin to see reading as commonplace in his day.

Take a trip to the library with your kids! Scatter reading materials throughout the house! In time, your children will be familiarised with the sight of books, which would eventually cultivate a passion for reading!
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Incorporate reading into everyday activities
You'd be astounded at how simple it is to incorporate reading throughout the day! Ranging from recipes, to road signs, words can be found everywhere! Get your little one to make a grocery list with you or even decipher a map together! These simple gestures work wonders in igniting a burning passion for reading in the long run!
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Make it interesting
Sometimes, parents make the fatal mistake of forcing their children to read tediously long and boring texts as a way to cultivate a brilliant thinker. This detrimental error would actually accomplish the opposite effect as these children would instead begin to develop the "reading = boring" attitude.

To counter this problem, ensure that your child has a say in his desired choice of reading materials. Keep a vast array of books from different genres and allow your little one to delve deep into different realms of his choosing! During the formative years of children, it is imperative they learn that reading should be a choice and not a chore!

Admit it – you probably secretly hope your kid will become the next Einstein, Nobel Laureate or Pulitzer Prize-winning author. As a parent, it goes without saying that we all want the best for our children. After all, it is the desire of all parents for our little ones to become cultured critical thinkers in the near future.

As it is a universally acknowledged truth that reading is the proverbial fountain of knowledge, it comes as no surprise to find parents browbeating their children in a fruitless attempt to get them to pick up a book! This is especially commonplace in our technologically-oriented age where you would be hard-pressed to find a child who would rather read than stay glued to the iPad.

If you’re one of the many frustrated parents hoping to pique your child’s interest in reading, check out the gallery for our 5 fail-safe ways to raise an avid reader!

Ashley Anand

Photos: Getty Images

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