Studies have shown that fathers are reading to their children, especially at younger ages, less than the children’s mothers. In a world that is increasingly technologically based, more and more children are leaving elementary or primary school still struggling to read. Instead of practicing their reading or having parents or guardians/caretakers read to them, they spend more and more time playing on electronics or watching television.
Despite studies showing that electronics and television do actually have benefits for children, reading to your kids has been shown to be more beneficial.
Conductors of these studies are pleading for caretakers of children of any kind read to the children in their care for at least ten minutes a day. Whether the child lives with one or both parents, their grandparents, siblings, or any other form of caretaker, it is extremely important that these children are read to on a regular basis.
Seeing and listening to their guardians read to them helps a child’s ability to develop their language and their literacy skills. When a guardian reads to a child, this also helps the child grow a love to read, which studies have shown will help them to accomplish their school projects more thoroughly.
It seems that people have all but forgotten libraries; however, this is absolutely not true. Libraries have shifted their focus to children, incorporating daily activities and reading programs. Check out your local library and you will be surprised at what they offer.
It has also been shown that when a child is read to every day from the time they are born until the time they begin school, they will likely begin with a twelve month advantage on their classmates. Even children who are read to only three to five days a week start school with a six month advantage.
An added benefit to reading to the children that you take care of is this activity helps to build memories that they are not likely soon to forget.
