I would call myself a traditionalist when it comes to parenting. As a traditional mom, one of my aims has been to develop a love for reading in my kids. So, I started with co-reading with my children fairly early.
I feel reading together is an important element in a child’s development. It lets you spend some quality time together for bonding and enjoying each other’s company. While reading stories, we create many special moments with our children.
However, sometimes I struggled with how make an infant or toddler sit through these stories. Here are a few pointers to help:
Allow Choice - It is important to introduce kids to stories right from a young age. Invite them to see a book; however, don’t force them.
Be Expressive – It is extremely important for parents to be expressive while sharing stories with children. This introduces children to different emotions and tones. For example, while reading a story about the hungry lion, roar like a lion. Introduce facial expression and see how your child is glued to the book. They may want a repeat performance.
Be Creative and Innovative – Innovation is the key to success, isn’t it? Use different means other than books. Puppets are a great way to build a story as well as using tools like story cubes and picture story telling.
Bedtime Stories – As a parent, you probably also tell bed time stories to your kid as I do. Bedtime stories introduces your child to the concept of daily routine.
Children love stories, so make time to share a good story with your little one every day. Take the advantage of telling stories and incorporate them in your child’s life. You will be glad that you did. I did it and I cherish the moments that come with it!
Want to inspire a love of reading in your children?
Check out some great ideas and more stories by moms on our Get Kids Reading page.
And to find out more about TD’s Children Literacy initiatives visit tdreads.com.
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