have loved reading since my early childhood days. For me, reading is an experience of passion: viewing scenes as they unfold through the written voice of the speaker, letting my imagination play out the words as if watching a movie, becoming my favorite character (in my head), crying when tragedy strikes and laughing with the happy endings. Not many kids today understand this love of reading. Today, reading is a pastime only to meet the requirements of English class.
My love for reading was implanted at the early age of one. I would love to attribute this important life fact to myself, as if I were a child prodigy and could read at such a young age. But I have to give all the credit to my grandmother, Lou Patterson. She felt that teaching me to read, especially how to read the Bible, was one of the most important things she could do for me at an early age.
“When I was growing up, no one in my family could read but me,” Lou states. “My parents were illiterate, and from the time I was in first grade I knew I had to learn to read so I could help my parents read things.”
According to Paula Wilson, an independent consultant for Usborne Books, an online store selling children’s books, a lot of children today are not developing a love of reading that will help them be successful adults. Research shows that reading to a child and teaching the importance of reading is fundamental to the emotional, educational and developmental success of that child.
As my grandmother found by having to read to her parents, reading is also a means of survival.
The ability to see words and understand what they mean is imperative to having a job, driving, handling personal business and other things dealing with day-to-day life of adulthood. Being able to comprehend what one reads is vital to being successful in life.
British historian G.M. Trevelyn once said, “Education … has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.” Of course, reading fairy tales and books about bears is fun for a child and contributes to their development; but the most important book children should learn to read, and enjoy reading, is the Bible.
“Reading the Bible to a child is very important because the sooner you start reading the Bible, it will one day come back to them. It is a book that must be read every day,” Lou explains. “I read to my granddaughter Bible stories from a book every day, and it helped her understand what she was learning in Sunday school. Now, she reads to her children from the very same book — she’s carrying on a very special tradition, teaching children the Word of God early.”
In a world of television, iPods, video games and little league sports, instilling a love of reading may seem like an impossible task. When asked how to instill a love of reading in children today, Lou exclaimed, “Pull them away from the computer, TV and all this other busy stuff!” Although it may seem so, it is not impossible to make children put down their remotes, take out their earphones, or come inside from a baseball game and curl up with a good book. The most important thing to remember is to not force the child to read! What child will enjoy something he or she is forced to do?
Be sure the child sees you, or another adult, reading frequently. Because children tend to learn by example, your reading for enjoyment in clear view of children will influence them to want to read as well.
Also, read aloud to children; this will help them enjoy the story instead of having to focus on trying to get their words or phonics right. Hearing the words will not only help them enjoy the story but will also contribute to their learning development and language skills. Avoid book reports! Don’t make the child feel as though every time he reads there is work involved.
Another way to help your child enjoy reading is to make library trips a weekly or monthly event and get the child involved in programs the library offers. Some libraries offer summer reading programs that offer guest speakers who read dramatically to the kids and programs that offer incentives for children who read a certain number of books in a week. Get your children their own library card. This makes them feel important and responsible and may help them read more often since there is a due date for them to return the book to the library.
Giving books as birthday presents, especially books about subjects that interest the child, is a wonderful way to present books in a fun, enjoyable way.
Teach your children to examine, discern, get knowledge and enjoy the world of the written word — especially God’s Word. I assure you it will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
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