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It's 7:30. The dirty dishes are waiting in the sink, the dog needs walking, your older child has to be picked up from baseball practice in 25 minutes, and you are tired. You feel the tug of your youngest child on your pants. He says, "Please read me a story." You desparately want to say, "Not now, sweetheart, I'm busy." Instead, you stop what you are doing, cuddle your child on your lap, pick up an old favorite children's book, and read to him. Why? Research shows that children who read well tend to succeed in school and in later life. Reading to your children is the single most important thing you can do to prepare them for school. You are the most important person in your young child's life. They look to you for cues on what is and is not important. When they see you read on your own, they begin to want to read. When you read to them, they begin to make the connections which must be made before a person can read. Reading to a child helps reinforce the bond between parent and child. Developing a strong bond gives children the sense of security and confidence to reach out and interact appropriately with others. Talking to your child and listening to them when they talk help strengthen the parent-child bond. Reading to your child gives you more areas of common interest to talk about. Reading the same book over and over is okay, too, because it reinforces their understanding that words remain the same from day to day and helps your child begin to recognize some of the letters and words. These "favorite" books are probably the first ones your child will pick up and read back to you. There are many excellent non-fiction books on the market for young children, too. They will help you answer all of the "why" and "how" questions children love to ask. It is never too early to read to your child. Newsweek magazine devoted a whole issue to brain development in infants (Special Edition, Spring/Summer, 1997). Children's brains are busily being "wired" during the first years of life. YOU will have a profound impact on the person your child becomes. I recently gave my pregnant daughter books to read to her child even while it is still developing. I also gave her music to play because the math and music areas are next to each other in the brain and stimulation in one area seems to aid development in the other. Be selective in what you buy. Choose some of the old favorites you loved as a child and some new classics. See Tippity Witchet's Most Amazing Book List for ideas. If you are reading high quality books to your child, you will enjoy them, too, and that's the idea. Reading time should be a relaxing, enjoyable time for both of you. The following information is about the development of pre-reading skills. All children go through this sequence, some earlier than others and some faster than others. All children develop at their own pace and that pace is not an indicator of future brilliance or failure. For more guidance on helping your child develop her/his reading skills, go to Help your child learn to Read. Back to Top Copyright 1998, Susan Jindrich. All rights reserved.