No one is born knowing how to read, much less having a passion or a love for reading. We just don’t come that way; it is not in our DNA. Reading is a skill taught early on and practiced daily. And if taught well reading becomes a pleasure – an integral part of you – and serves as a springboard for imagination, creativity and a life-long passion for learning. In other words: Reading Becomes You!
But keep in mind, learning to read is not a natural skill, or a talent. It doesn’t just happen; it is taught with intention. So from the start be intentional in teaching your child to:
- love books – the touch, the look and the feel of books held in their hands
- love sitting safely in your lap and being read to each day by you
- love the joy of learning new sounds, new letters and new words
- love the notion and accomplishment of one day being able read on their own
- love discovering new books everywhere — at home, at school, in the library or in a bookstore
There are so many ways – from the outset– you can teach your child the love of reading. And you can do it in such a way that it becomes so much a part of them and who they are that they could never imagine a world without books.
The opportunities to teach a child a love of books and their extraordinary bounty are limitless and often present themselves in simple, unexpected ways. When your child comes up to you with a book and a blanket in hand, wanting you to sit down and read to them, seize the moment at every opportunity; you will be so glad you did. It is such a tiny slip of time, but the long-term effects are without measure.
With every book you take the time to read to your child, you expand their minds, their hearts, their world and their love for books. You are setting them on a life-long journey of loving books and loving to read, and you are doing it intentionally. And for that small moment in time you have the opportunity to travel on that journey with them, from time-to-time you can remind them and yourself that Reading: It Becomes You!
“There are many ways to enlarge your child’s world.
Love of books is the best of all”
– Jacqueline Kennedy
