| The experts all agree - reading to your children is | | | | -Reading improves the attention span, making it |
| one of the most important things you can do to | | | | easier for children to learn. |
| foster their love of learning. Children whose | | | | -It improves the skills that are fundamental to all |
| parents read to them are more successful in | | | | kinds of learning - sequencing of events, problem |
| school. They often learn to read earlier and | | | | solving and critical thinking skills. |
| understand what they read more clearly. Reading | | | | -Reading to children stimulates their imagination, |
| to your children benefits them in many ways - | | | | and imagination may be the most powerful force |
| some of them obvious and some of them not | | | | in the universe. Everything - every invention, |
| quite so obvious. Jim Trelease, author of The | | | | every creation, every achievement - begins with |
| Read Aloud Handbook, offers many ways that | | | | imagination. When you read to a child, you |
| reading aloud to your children helps them | | | | encourage him to exercise his imagination. |
| academically. | | | | -When you share reading with a child, you give |
| -When you read to your child, you condition your | | | | them an entertainment alternative to television. |
| child to associate reading with the pleasure of | | | | Reading is not a passive entertainment - it |
| your company and love. That association will help | | | | engages the mind and encourages children to learn |
| foster an enjoyment and love of reading, and | | | | more. |
| that association is necessary to turn your kids | | | | In addition, there are some very important |
| into lifelong readers. | | | | reasons that fathers should read to their children, |
| -You provide your child with a reading role model | | | | not just mothers. According to the National |
| when you read to them and let them see you | | | | Literacy Trust, when dads read to their children: |
| reading. Children naturally want to emulate their | | | | -They serve as a male role model to encourage |
| parents. Reading to them gives them a positive | | | | reading for their boys. Reading is often thought of |
| activity to copy. | | | | as a "girly" pastime. This can put boys at a distinct |
| -Reading to your child contributes to their general | | | | disadvantage academically. Boys who see their |
| knowledge of the world, knowledge that will help | | | | fathers reading learn that reading isn't for sissies - |
| them when they start studying history, | | | | it's the intelligent thing to do. |
| geography, science, social studies and | | | | -They have better relationships with their children. |
| mathematics, among other things. | | | | Shared reading time is positive bonding time, and |
| -One of the more obvious benefits of reading | | | | that's great for your relationship with your little |
| aloud to your child is that you increase their | | | | one. |
| vocabulary naturally, and teach them proper | | | | -Their children feel more confident that their |
| grammar by osmosis. They listen and absorb the | | | | father supports them emotionally. That's a direct |
| meanings of words, sentence structure and other | | | | outgrowth of shared time and emotional |
| aspects of communication that will make it easier | | | | closeness fostered by reading together regularly. |
| for them to read and understand their lessons | | | | -They also talk with their children more openly |
| when they start school. | | | | and easily as they grow older. |
| -Reading creates empathy toward other people, | | | | In addition, dads can provide a different aspect of |
| which is a valuable trait in learners. The best | | | | reading that mothers seldom do. Mothers tend to |
| learners are those who can recognize themselves | | | | read fiction and stories to their children. Fathers |
| in others, no matter how different. They | | | | often favor non-fiction. As your children grow |
| generalize knowledge more widely and often can | | | | older, reading with them can let them into your |
| make those intuitive leaps that are vital to learning | | | | hobbies and interests. How to manuals, books on |
| new things. | | | | sports, comic books and books about hobbies are |
| -Children who are read to learn to read earlier | | | | great places to expand a comfortable relationship |
| than those who are not. Research shows that | | | | with your children, particularly relationships |
| they are more likely to stay in school and | | | | between fathers and sons. |
| graduate from high school and pursue secondary | | | | Whatever you do, don't start thinking of reading |
| education. | | | | as an exercise in your child's development. First |
| -A surprising correlation is an extension of the one | | | | and foremost, reading aloud to your child is a fun, |
| above. Because children who are read to are | | | | shared activity between you and your children. |
| more likely to graduate from high school and go | | | | Pick books that you like to read and that your |
| on to higher education, they are more likely to | | | | children like to hear and just have fun - because |
| get higher paying jobs, and live longer. | | | | that's when children learn their best. |