Social and emotional reasons for dads to read aloud to their children
How can dads help children learn to read and to love doing it? Reading experts around the world recommend that dads (and moms) read aloud to children. In this chapter, we talk about the many reasons for this recommendation.
When, as dads, we take time to read aloud to our children, we are telling them that we think they are worthwhile. Whether the children we are reading to are on our lap or sitting next to us, our bond with them grows stronger, as we share the excitement, sorrow, happiness, wonder and other emotions generated by reading.
The book itself that the dad is reading is just the beginning of the sharing. With the book as a springboard, he can dive into related topics close to the childrenâs lives. For example, while reading the book My Violin Class with children who play an instrument or go to class to develop any talent, dads can talk about what the children like and do not like about that learning experience.
Reading aloud helps children mature. For instance, books stretch childrenâs attention span. Children want to know what will happen next in the book or what else they will learn â what will the next page bring - so they keep listening instead of jumping from one activity to another. As children pay attention to the book and our conversations about it, their attention span increases.
Books also build childrenâs maturity as they learn about the feelings of others, whether the others are humans or fellow animals. In the discussions that dads can have with their children as they are read to, they talk about these feelings. For example, in Kayla & the Magical Tree, the main character, Kayla, has to deal with bullies. This might be an opportunity for the dad to open a discussion of bullying and how bullies, the bullied, and bystanders feel.
Reading aloud is (or should be) a common feature of preschool and lower elementary school education. Thus, children who are read to outside school have an advantage when they go to school because they are already familiar with reading aloud. So come on, dads, donât wait a second longer to start reading to your kids!
Dad reminder: You can start to read to your kids at ANY age. It's fun for the kids and dad. It really is a dad duty!This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_475669_40.html
Keywords: attention span, conversations, dad, dads, dea, emotions, excitement, feelings, fellow animals, happiness, learning experience, love
, magical tree, maturity, next generation, participation, sorrow, springboard, violin class.
