One of the hallmarks of summer is the beach book. Having time to read for fun is a wonderful treat; it's special.
But reading is more than a treat. Childhood literacy is essential for a good education and a good education typically leads to a great career and better income. It's important to read to our children, to give them the opportunity to dip into all manner of books. André Picard recently wrote an interesting column for the Globe and Mail, quoting the Canadian Pediatric Society saying that "waiting rooms should be chock full of books, that children should be handed books during visits because they are comforting, and in addition to prescribing reading to kids they should be prescribed library cards, and parents-in-need should be steered to literacy programs."
We know that reading to children is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. And you can start when they are babies. There are all manner of books designed for infants. With these kids the point is simply to make books familiar. Let them play with the books, chew on them and turn pages at their own rate.
As they get older they may be less interested in the story and more into labelling all the pictures. This is the stage when they are fascinated with words and learning that everything has a name.
Eventually they will start to pay attention to the story.
Reading to our children, teaching them how to read and encouraging reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids. If you have a child who has problems reading there is a great online resource at Reading Wings (readingwings.com). Vera Goodman, who is passionate about reading and helping kids to read, has an easily accessible online course for parents whose kids struggle with reading. She is based in Calgary.
As one parent said: "Your approach is based on fostering a solid and supportive relationship with your child. How could any parent not benefit from that? Your approach is sooo open-ended. It is really about support and the relationship you are creating around reading."
The easiest way to get a child to be keen on reading is to help him find books that interest him. What does he like, dinosaurs or trucks? Flowers or geography? Then head to the children's section in the local library or a good bookstore and let him browse. The beauty of books is that there are books on virtually everything.
Helping to find good books for kids is a challenge that librarians and children's bookstore staff embrace. So talk to them and let them work their magic with your child. You will be amazed at what they end up reading. Teens can stump parents when it comes to helping them find a good read.
Many teens have developed a keen interest in fantasy. And there are an increasing number of books in the genre. I love to support Canadian talent so I recommend you introduce your child to author Holly Bennett who had written six fantasy books.
One online review says: "Holly Bennett has crafted a wonderfully exciting story with great characters that the reader will cheer for. She has an ability to create whole worlds with specific nuances that make them interesting and believable. .. The story moves quickly, with many tense moments that will keep readers turning the pages to a surprising and satisfying conclusion." (CM Magazine) If we want our children to be literate we should read to them daily. We are also our children's primary role models so it's important for them to see us reading. Whether it's the newspaper (even online), a work-related report or a novel, let them see us reading.
Kathy Lynn is a professional speaker and author of Vive la Différence, Who's In Charge Anyway? and But Nobody Told Me I'd Ever Have to Leave Home. Sign up for her informational newsletter at parentingtoday.ca.
