How a Reading Habit Helps Your Child

As parents, we try to build a number of good habits in our kids. While some may help in their physical growth, some are focused on their hygiene. We also teach them a lot about having habits that help in maintaining discipline. One habit that is very often under-rated is a reading habit; especially in pre-schoolers. While many of us simply think of school books when it comes to reading, some do not even see the point in developing such a habit in kids. Here are some reasons why it is a great idea to build a reading habit in your child:

A Healthy Escape

There may be many instances where your child is in an awkward social situation. Even being at a party full of other kids can seem boring and isolating at times. When your child is not able to have the right type of company in the form of friends or dear ones, books can always act as a great friend. Instead of letting the child see the phone or giving him/her a tab, try handing your child a book. The habit not only helps in brain development but also makes the kid more imaginative. Books offer a healthy escape from an awkward or stressful situation by acting as a creative distraction. Always carry a couple of books when you go out with your child . Be it during a journey or while waiting for an order at a restaurant, let your child read instead of relying on unhealthy or less creative distractions.

Supplementary Learning

Apart from offering a healthy escape, a reading habit can also go a long way in acting as supplementary learning. Your child can pick up language skills, have a better vocabulary, learn spelling, grammar, and simply gain knowledge about everything with the right kind of reading material. From encyclopedia’s to newspapers to comic books, every type of reading material will lead to some additional form of learning for your child. So, it becomes very important to offer the right sort of age-appropriate reading materials to your little one.

Enhanced Attention Span

This is the age of instant gratification. From grown-ups to kids, everyone loves doing things and getting results with a simple click of a button or a mouse. While that has made our life a lot easier, in some kids it results in a very short attention span. If you find it increasingly difficult to keep your child engaged in a single activity for more than 5 minutes, then you need to bring major changes to his/her daily routine. One of those changes can be enhancing the level of reading habits that they currently have. Reading not only increases concentration and memory retention, but it also goes a long way in improving a child’s attention span. It stimulates curiosity and teaches them to be patient and read through every page to actually get to the end of a story.

An Excellent Way to Bond with Your Child

Owing to a generation gap, as parents we find it increasingly challenging to find some common interests with our kids . If done the right way, the process of developing a reading habit can greatly help in strengthening the bond between you and your child. You can find a common interest and have endless conversations about a particular book, genres, characters, book shops, authors, storylines, and more. It can open a whole new world of common topics to bond over. You will also see a positive change in your child’s attitude towards you with this creative exchange of ideas.

While it is never too early to introduce your kids to a book, it is never too late either to start developing a reading habit in your child. So, without further ado, let’s get our little ones excited about this nourishing and fulfilling experience!

Authored by Bhavna Bhalla,

A full-time mother for the last six years and a part-time writer for over a decade with a passion for travelling and engaging in intellectually-stimulating conversations.