Reading to your kids helps set them up for life
It was with great sadness last week that I learned of the death of John McIntyre – a hugely respected bookshop owner, and advocate for young readers all over New Zealand.
Over the 30-plus years that he and his wife Ruth ran the children’s book store in Wellington, his influence and passion stretched far and wide – providing engaging reading lists for schools; considered, wise and expert advice on book choices for parents and children of all ages; and most importantly inspiring many thousands of children to keep reading, whatever age or stage they were at.
My kids and I have so many fond memories of our visits there – and one I will never forget is when I asked my son (in slightly hushed tones) as we entered the shop to hide a pretty trashy comic I had just bought him.
John overheard us and came striding over: ‘‘Don’t listen to your mother. You keep reading. Anything you like. What you read isn’t important as long as you enjoy it.’’ Wise words from a fine man.
As my kids and I reminisced about our trips there, it struck me that some of the most precious times in my life have involved my children and books.
Snuggling up in bed first thing in the morning (often when the sun was barely up), with a pile of toast and a stack of picture books – an amazing way to start a day, albeit pretty cramped and crumby when there are four of you!
Sitting with them week after week on the couch, school ‘‘readers’’ in hand, as they slowly and painstakingly learnt the most basic words and sounds, until suddenly the penny dropped and they were off.
And as they got older, picking out chapter books to read together before bed – nearly always recommended to us by John, responsible for introducing us to the wit and craziness of Nanny Piggins, the Dahl-esque world of David Walliams, the beautiful story-telling of Michael Morpurgpo, and the gentle humour of Joy Cowley’s Snake and Lizard.
If you are not a family that reads much, let me encourage you. Not only does taking time to read slow life down a little – in an era where busy chaos seems to be the norm – but it also has definite benefits for children in terms of development and cognition:
Language
Children who are read to from an early age develop a better, more advanced understanding of language; this enables not only enhanced communication with their family and peers, but also facilitates transition to school, improving their learning in all subjects, not just literacy. Reading to your child for 20 minutes a day, exposes them to a massive 1.8 million words of text a year.
Attention and concentration
Children who are used to sitting down until a story has finished are better able to concentrate and complete a task, again a very important skill for learning.
New or challenging experiences
Using stories can be a really useful way to illustrate ‘‘life experiences’’ that your child may be having, and subtly introduce ways that they might approach them or find solutions. This is especially useful as they approach key milestones – starting school, moving house – that may provoke a bit of anxiety.
Relaxation
We all need ‘‘down time’’. It won’t suit all kids, but having some quiet space to read, or even listen to a story CD if they’re not enjoying reading per se, can be good for everyone at the end of a busy day. It’s a way of switching off from the real world for a while, allowing the imagination to run free, and the benefits, especially for very active busy children, can be enormous.
Switching off screens
This is a biggie for me. I understand that our children are growing up in a very different world, where technology seems to be crucial for communication, learning and fun – but switching it off for a while to indulge in some good old-fashioned reading is highly recommended.
Contact time
This is what I have loved most about reading with my children over the years. The cuddling time. I don’t think the benefits can be easily measured, but curling up on the couch together, sharing a story, is my happy space. Twenty minutes a day, seven days a week, adds up to a whopping 121 hours of ‘‘bonding’’ time a year. Hard to beat in my mind.
Thank you John. Dr Cathy Stephenson is a GP and forensic medical examiner.