Want to pass on a love of reading to your kids, grandkids, or other youngsters? Start reading aloud to them at a very young age. Choose age appropriate material. Make reading aloud fun, interesting, and exciting. If you sound bored, the kids will be bored. Make reading aloud a habit, whether it's at bedtime or whenever.
Bring kids with you to the library and to bookstores. Make those trips fun. Have a home library of favorite books. Give kids their own books and bookshelves or a special place on the bookshelf. Give books as gifts, but don't force kids to read what you like. Respect their preferences.
Avoid using phrases like: "What are you reading that for?" Discourage others from belittling reading in kids' hearing, ie: "Reading is a waste of time." "Wouldn't you rather be playing outside?"
Maybe best of all, let kids see you reading. Let them know how much you love books and which books you read and loved as a child. Encourage them to read on their own, or with help, on a regular basis. Help them improve their reading skills---and not just to aim for better grades.
If you bring kids to a movie or watch a DVD based on a book, afterward encourage them to try reading the actual book. Even if you don't have kids of your own, if you are a writer, your aim should be to nurture the next generation of readers---and many generations after that! The more kids there are who love to read, the more call there will be in the future for new books and new writers.
Keep on writing and promote love of reading!
MRTighe
No comments:
Post a Comment