How To Raise A Reader And Why You Need To Do It

Reading has tonnes of benefits. There is enough research that tells you why it is important to inculcate the habit of reading into children, right from the time they are babies. We demonstrate just how you can get started

- Vinitha Ramchandani

Many parents — in their quest to raise that perfect child — come to me and ask, “How can I get my child to read?” I almost always ask them, “Do you read?” The answer to this question usually clues me in to whether their child does or does not read. If even one parent is an avid reader, this can translate into the child picking up the habit as well. To parents who ask me how to get their kids to read, to them I say, “First, you pick up a book, they will follow suit.”

The importance of reading

The first big reason to get your child to read is the five senses. Babies and toddlers are at a stage where they are exploring and discovering the world with their senses. This is why everything they come across is first put in the mouth, then thrown to the side. They need to touch, smell, taste, hear and feel every single object around them. For pre-schoolers and toddlers who have access to so much visual entertainment, a book gives them one thing that apps and TV do not—the chance to look, touch, read, feel and taste. Yes, nothing can replace a book, especially for toddlers who constantly perceive things through their five senses.

If getting children to read has been a challenge before, it is definitely more so now. In today’s day and age, if there are so many easier, quicker and convenient ways to entertain and keep a person occupied as compared to a book, wouldn’t most parents choose an easier route for their children, especially if children are known to have shorter attention spans? Besides, today’s children need colour, visuals and something to work their hands with. Not all books provide this combination so it helps to do your research and read a few reviews before you pick one off the shelves.

Stacking facts