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Are You Nurturing A Lifelong Love of Reading?

By November 7, 2018January 27th, 2023No Comments

There’s something about reading out loud the rhythm and rhyme of a Dr. Seuss book—Hop on Pop, Cat In the Hat —each one a favorite in our house.

I love to read.
It’s true. It’s true.
I love to read.
Do you? Do you?

Trying my hand at Seuss-speak because next Tuesday, November 13, is National Young Reader’s Day. 🙂

Our children spent hours looking through, listening to, or reading books like:

Books like these, and many others, inspired their imaginations, tickled their sense of humor, taught good life lessons, and opened new worlds. Some of those books came to life on family vacations when we visited the historic sites mentioned.

Reading together was a foundational part of every day.

You can’t beat the joy of holding your child(ren) on your lap or near you on the couch, a book or stack of books in your hand, a snuggly toy crammed between you and the kids, and hearing their delight and discovery as you read.

But why focus so much on reading in this technology age?

According to an article by LearningRX, reading isn’t simple for everyone. Some children struggle with laying a good foundation for reading. When that happens, they fight for years perhaps even their lifetime.

There are many reasons a child could struggle. There could be a focus problem, a lazy eye, difficulty distinguishing the different letter sounds, and even a problem hearing the different letter combinations in words. Any such problem creates a barrier to reading and its enjoyment.

Reading every day with your children helps you identify any issues your child has with language or auditory processing. Once recognized, you can get your child the help they need and set them up for success.

We have several family members with different issues that dulled the desire to read. But, once the problem was identified and the corrective measures put in place, each person discovered a different level of reading pleasure.

Becoming a good reader is like building a strong house.

The four steps to becoming a good reader, according to Sabra Gelfond, Speech-Language Pathologist and Executive Director of the National Speech/Language Therapy Center, can be equated to the steps in building a house. They are:

  1. Laying the foundation: Sound Awareness.
  2. Raising the Structure: Sounds Combined . . . Phonics
  3. Finish the House: Become Automatic
  4. Enjoy the Finished Home: Gain Comprehension

If you or your child struggle to read or learn, don’t give up!

There are resources in your area to help you overcome. Perhaps you could start with your doctor or your children’s school or even a quick Google search. In our hometown, there are places like LearningRx or Kumon.

Next Tuesday, November 13, which is National Young Reader’s Day, schedule some time to explore new worlds and spend some time imagining with your children.

Grab a real live book, not your Kindle or e-reader, and have some fun. Use these questions to jumpstart your discussion.

  1. Would they like to use stuffed animals to act out the story?
  2. Where do they see themselves in the story?
  3. What questions can you ask your young reader to gauge their comprehension?
  4. Which character did they not relate to at all?
  5. How does the story make them feel? What emotions did the characters feel?
  6. If they were going to write a book, what would it be about?

Use this national holiday to go deeper with your young reader.

Become a leader. Your children are watching. Are you reading regularly?

Challenge yourself by choosing books from different genres, even those you don’t prefer. You may surprise yourself. I have. And your consistent reading quietly teaches your children the importance and adventure of books.

While I use an e-reader often, I find the tactile experience of holding a good novel in my hands is an entirely different experience. There’s a satisfying thud when you turn that last page and close the book. Your mind enjoys a sense of completion you don’t get using an e-reader. Do you agree?

For 2018, I set a goal to read 52 books in different genres. Even as an avid reader, this challenges me. I have a ways to go to meet the goal. Click here to check out my 2018 Reading List. I’m building my Reading List for next year; please share a comment below with your favorite titles.

If you need help, please reach out. I promise to listen without judgment and help you take the next step.