I am honored to have Grace Lantz come in and share her heart on reading. Grace sees and knows the importance in reading to children at every stage and the benefits that are received from it. Here she will share five ways, as a mother, how to nurture a love of reading in your home for your child.
I have not yet met a parent who doesn’t care about– and occasionally worry about– their child’s future. If you are reading this blog, you most likely agree with me that teaching our children to love and serve Jesus is our number one priority. But today I’d love to chat about another crucial part of our children’s development. Reading.
Learning and loving to read is foundational in a child’s life because it opens the doors in so many areas. It allows them to explore the world, to grow and mature. Although I could list studies and observations for days, I doubt I have to work hard to convince you that you should develop and nurture a love of reading in your home. The question usually is not “should my child read?” but rather “how do I encourage a passion for literature?”
Denise mentioned in a previous post that some parents find it helpful to reward their children monetarily for reading (I think that is a great idea by the way!). However, I’d like to share five ways to make your home a place of reading before your children reach the age of receiving rewards for reading a book.
Own Books
I’ve read several studies about the amazing correlation between the number of print books in the home and a child’s later success. In sum, they proved that the more books in an individual’s home, the more likely they are to have high SAT scores, have a good paying career and stay out of jail. Sounds good to me, right?
Choose Engaging Books
Find books about your child’s favorite topics. Pick a mix of fiction and non-fiction. Find books that engage different parts of the brain (for example- flap books, books with fun diagrams, and other interactive options).
Place Books at the 3 Bs – (Breakfast Table, Bedroom, Bathroom)
Make it easy for children to pick up a book a few times a day by having them placed around the house in easy to reach baskets or on height appropriate shelves.
Read Out Loud 20 Minutes a Day
Make a serious pledge to read out loud 20 minutes a day. For babies and toddlers, this may need to be broken into smaller increments. With older children, don’t stop reading to them just because they learn to read on their own- make family story time a part of your routine. Almost half of students loose interest in reading during 4th grade, right when parents are likely to stop reading aloud.
Read In Front Of Your Children
As with so many other things in life, it is important to lead by example. Make sure your children see you reading several times a week. That’s right, I just gave you permission- don’t wait until they are sleeping to pick up that novel or inspirational book.
I hope this encourages you and your family and helps you to build patterns and habits that change the lives of your precious little ones.
Comment below and share your tips for how you encourage reading in your home!
Grace Lantz
lovehimservehim@gmail.com
Check out Grace’s Facebook page. She sells Usborne Children’s books, which are created to be magnets for newborns through high school students. You can check out their website and see what they all offer. If you would like to learn more about how to earn free books for your own library, contact Grace about hosting a Facebook party or a home show! Better yet- if you are a mom who is passionate about books and looking to make some extra income this year, please email her and ask about joining her team– she claims, “you won’t regret it!”
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