A reader today, a leader tomorrow. We have heard this phrase our entire lives and for good reason too. Just like sports that develop our body from our childhood, a reading habit develops our brain and sets us on the path of academic and professional success in the future. There is no better time to develop this skill than early childhood, a phase of life where life-long habits are formed. Here are 4 tips to develop your child’s literary habits:
Seems like an ordinary and insignificant tip but it may just be the most crucial! Nobody has a bigger impact on a child’s life than their parents. Strong oral communication with detailed descriptions, elaborate use of adjectives and a reply-to-reply approach will expand a kid’s vocabulary and eventually give them the ability to truly enjoy the essence of great literary pieces. Putting your child to sleep? Talk about all the bedding essentials involved which you can get from top brands such as Mothercare Pakistan Picking out groceries? Converse about all the products you buy, their colour, their price. Healthy communication can start from literally anything.
Children don’t listen, they imitate and follow. Don’t tell them to read, show them by setting an example. Children around the age of pre-primary schooling are extremely impressionable and will follow in your footsteps. Make sure that you set the right example by always carrying a book around and reading in your free time, no amount of reading can ever be enough even for adults. Other than that, read to your child whenever you can. Even when you are buying something for your child, perhaps a baby bedding online, read the specifications with your child and tell them what you’ll be getting for them, make it about them! Do it over an evening snack or read them a bedtime story before they sleep, not only is this habit relaxing for the child but it also develops a parent’s bond with their little one.
Too much of a good thing never did anyone harm. Don’t spend a fortune on books but it is certainly better to spend on books rather than buying that pair of sneakers that you don’t really need. If you surround your child with books rather than other material objects, they will automatically be inclined to read. If buying books sound like too much of a monetary chore, become members of your local library along with your child.
When packing backpacks for kids, all parents should add in at least one non-academic book for casual reading. Books can be regarded as the best baby gift in Pakistan for parents to consider these days.
Simple and effective, tell your child that any page they read is a job well done. Clap when they correctly pronounce a difficult word and correct them when they don’t. Reward them for every book they complete and make sure that they are not only motivated to read but enjoy to do so themselves.