Kids are like fertile soil, and any seed can germinate easily. If their parents and grandparents sow good seeds, desired habits will develop. Good parenting is not everyone’s cup of tea. It requires a lot of patience and toil. Parents should try their best to instill a love for books in their children.
It is hard to prevent your child from diverting in today’s world because there are many more tempting distractions like tablets, mobile phones, and screens, so the child can easily lose interest in books. They feel more inclined towards watching cartoons and visual stuff on screens. Still, there are many methods you can adapt to impart a love for books.
Be the role model for your little one. If you spend more time on screens, your child will also spend more time on the screens. If you spend time reading informative and development-oriented books, your child will do the same. So, do what you want your child to be doing.
Fix a bedtime reading routine for your children and grandchildren. Interact with them and make the reading time interesting and engaging for them. Ask questions and let them ask too. It will develop their love for books and help them hone their reasoning skills.
Involve various types of books in this nightly ritual to maintain interest and curiosity. They will get a little knowledge about diverse areas of life. They will be eager to learn more and more from you as every child wants their parent’s attention.
A specific study space or library can also develop an interest in book reading. Arrange a cute study desk or book corner. Make it colorful and fun so kids want to spend time in that space. Decorate it according to your child’s taste. For example, stick pictures of their favorite cartoon character or their favorite dinosaur or their favorite truck in this space.
Provide them with informative but colorful and attractive visual books to read so they feel more engaged. The more the senses of vision, hearing, and touch are involved, the better. They will be drawn towards book reading until it becomes their permanent habit.
Understand your kid’s natural tendency, some children feel more comfortable reading themselves while others like having their book read by their parents or grandparents. Understand their mechanism of comprehending information. Whether the audio is more appealing to them or visuals, be prepared to react because these triggers vary from child to child.
Limit screen time for your child as it can be hazardous to their eyesight or their health in general. Because screen time is based on movement, it may decrease their tendency to be more attracted to books, as pictures and figures are static in book reading.
So, parents and grandparents need to develop the habit of reading to kids, because it plays a vital role in early cognitive development and helps create the curiosity that builds imaginations.
