Gift your child reading habit

We give gifts to our friends, relatives and loved ones. Often we wonder what gift can be given to our dear ones. Particularly, when we take time to visit a family with kids, we always stop at a departmental store to buy toys sweets, toffees, pizzas etc..., to be given to their children. How many of us really pause to think for a while to buy a good collection of reading material to them? As parents you can give books for your children as their birthday and Christmas presents or when they excel well in school. Let us remember the habit of reading can be a life time gift for your child.
Remember the good old habit of traditional families to narrate the history of the family; the struggles and joys of yesteryears to their children to carryon the great legacy which the family cherishes. Impressionable minds can be nurtured and moulded in ways more than one. But books and the printed word are among the best tools used for reaching out to a child in today’s hurry burry world. Despite the deep penetrating reach of the visual media, books have a definite edge over other mediums of communication and entertainment. Child psychologists and counselors have often stressed the importance of the reading habit in modern-day children.
As we realise that reading habit is important for your family, start reading as this habit will sooner or later influence your surrounding. Spending even ten minutes a day with your children will make them love both the time for reading and the time to attach with you. If you include expense for books in your budget you and children should often visit the bookshop or book fair. Even visiting any libraries that are available in your neighbourhood, schools, universities, clubs, etc. will increase their love for books. Sharing books will increase their knowledge without costing you much. When you help your children to make their own books, it is cheap but exciting. They can draw or cut pictures from magazines and write their own stories according to their imagination. It increases their power to actualise.

There is another way that will make children interested in books. Usually children like watching cartoons like “Nemo, Lion King, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh”, some traditional legends, puppets and stories. It is very interesting if they watch the movie on show and then read the books.
Reading habit should be the example for your children because deeds speak louder than words. When your children see you reading they will know that reading is a good habit.

Do not wait until your children are able to read to give them books. Start as soon as they were born. If you often communicate with your babies and read stories for them, their language ability will increase. It is never too late for your child to start reading. Preferably, catch the child young. Bring him other colorful books, so that reading becomes a favorite pastime. The parent has also got to read enough in order to become a model for the little one. And not to forget, family reading is the best way to grow. Ever remember your initial sessions with your grandma! Bed time reading is considered the best quality time spent with a kid. Psychiatrists feel that bed time reading helps to build strong bonding with the child

Language is a gift for a child and books give this gift in abundance. Children’s brain is easier to absorb language than an adult. Hence another benefit of reading books is they can learn foreign language very easily. If a child is raised up by a couple of different nationalities, the child will be able to speak two languages of his parents. Because of children’s ability to absorb new language fast, you can use foreign language story books to introduce and teach them the languages.

Reading a book aloud can be a good exercise not just for memorization but also for improvement of speech and vocabulary.Reading sharpens the thought processes of a child It increases his or her attention span. It gives them the faculty of thinking and understanding.
So by investing your time and your kids’ time for reading good books, you invest better future for your family.