Raise a Reader

What's in it for me? The family that reads together...By Andrea Ross

We often talk about the benefits of reading aloud to our children -- but we usually focus on the benefits to the children. Today, let's reflect on the ways reading aloud to our children benefits ourselves as parents, our families and our relationships with each other.

READ-ALOUD IDOL
I'm no ham and I rarely attempt read-aloud theatrics, accents or voices, but boy-oh-boy do I love the rush I get when I have my young audience shrieking with laughter, swooning, raving and begging for more. Sure, all I'm doing is reading the printed word, the real genius is the author, but I'm the main act at our house. Childhood is short -- I treasure the precious moments when reading aloud makes me a star in the eyes of my children.

CUDDLE TIME
The cuddly intimacy that it prompts is an obvious but overlooked benefit of taking time each day to read aloud to our little ones -- regardless of how big said little ones may be! My 10-year-old is as tall as I am and a voracious reader herself but our at-least-daily read-aloud time gives us regular and natural opportunities to cram into a tight huddle and snuggle. And I'm secretly delighted after each meal when my eight-year-old trots around to my side of the table, climbs onto my lap and insists that I read. That's hitting the jackpot for any parent.

CONNECTION
"Just one more chapter!" When we nudge them awake on school mornings and when they roll out of bed on weekends, our girls' first words are requests for reading. Sometimes they are stalling and too often time's too short but we understand that our girls view read-aloud time as a haven of undivided attention; as a time without demands, reminders or distractions. Read-aloud time is a time to connect.

INSTANT ENTERTAINMENT
What better way to avoid squabbling and other unpleasantness while the youngsters are stuck waiting than to treat them to a handful of picture books or a chapter of a riveting novel? Great children's books are portable, dependable and unobtrusive sources of laughs, soothing, intrigue and excitement -- any time, any place. Instant entertainment makes for contented kids but the real pay-off is for me as parent -- when you're stuck lined up or waiting, contented kids are worth their weight in gold.

SHARED (CHEAP!) ADVENTURES
Exotic vacations and adventures are just not par for our course. Reading aloud with my children gives us common, exciting, memorable experiences that we can look back on together. Reading independently is a great skill for a child, but sharing the excitement of a good book is a gift to parent and child alike.

SPRINGBOARDS TO LIFE LESSONS AND DISCUSSIONS
Sex, death, war, divorce, birth-control, sickness and injustice -- you name it, we tackle it early and painlessly, thanks to a healthy diet of engaging and relevant read-aloud books. Not every important issue crops up naturally in conversation. By reading a wide range of carefully crafted children's books covering a full spectrum of views and situations, we have opportunity to flesh out our children's understandings of the world around them

FREEDOM
Last but not least, when read-aloud time is plentiful and pleasant, children become readers. They'll read on their own. They'll read to others. They'll entertain themselves when they'd otherwise be bored. For happy readers, just add books! For happy parents, just add reading children!

Sure, reading aloud is good for our children but with benefits like these, we're clearly pampering ourselves. So grab a book and a child and treat yourself to some rampant read-aloud!

http://www.canada.com/Raise+Reader/2021838/story.html
Andrea Ross is co-creator of the children's literature and literacy radio program Just One More Book!! Andrea lives in the heart of Canada's capital with her husband, two daughters and a ridiculously large number of children's books. www.JustOneMoreBook.com