Ten Reasons to Read with Your Kids All Year Long

Parents are instrumental in setting the stage and supporting the habit of reading for pleasure as well as for instruction. When a parent takes the time to read with their children, they demonstrate that books are truly a “magic carpet” that will take them anywhere their imaginations care to roam. Listed below are ten reasons why parents should read with their children:

Encourages Bonding: Intimate contact while reading with your family can become the basis for trust. Bonding on a daily basis makes the private time with our children a source of comfort. When they have doubts and questions, they will know we are there for them.

Bridges the Generation Gap: Shared reading time is a great time to discuss issues with out children.

Encourages Character Development: One way to teach character development is through exposure to good characters from great books.

Explains the Meaning of Success: Commitment, goals and hard work … these concepts become understandable to children of all ages when they read stories about the success of others.

Builds Self-Confidence: We feel good about our family ties and ourselves when we spend time reading together.

Teaches Responsibility: Reading helps prepare children to learn how to accept their own responsibility and helps prevent them from accepting any burden that isn’t theirs.

Increases Sense of Worthiness: Encouraging our children to select reading materials strengthens their sense of self worth, good judgment and independence.

Shows Family Support: By reading aloud to our children and with them, we show that we support them as they are learning how to read.

Encourages Self-Expression: Exposure to reading enables children to better express their thoughts and ideas.

Develops Integrity: Reading can help develop a child’s values and morality through exposure to good and bad characters, situations and their outcomes.

Source: 101 Reasons to Read with Your Child, Brenda Star, StarGroup International Book Division.