It’s important to read to your kids. But why? While reading to your kids early can help with language and reading later on in development, it can also help with mental health.
Raising Better Communicators When we Read to Kids
I’ve talked previously about communication being a key to every healthy relationship. This includes your kids!
When parents read to their kids from a young age, you are helping to build their language. Within those words is the ability to convey thoughts, feelings and emotions. You are raising a better communicator!
Every parent is familiar with temper tantrums and meltdowns. We’ve all been there. When you read to your kids, you are helping form the vocabulary to help these little ones convey their feelings. Eventually, instead of a meltdown, your child can learn to express what they are feeling inside – – tired, scared, confused, sad, etc.
Building Empathy and Attention in the Next Generation
Helping your children understand their feelings and having the words to express those emotions is an amazing gift. Reading to your children not only helps them to learn about their own feelings, it helps your kids develop empathy as well.
When a child learns to see how others may feel in certain situations, it can help reduce problems with bullying, stress, fear, and anxiety to name a few.
Want an added bonus? When children develop a love of reading, they also develop an increased attention span. While electronics provide constant stimulation (and therefore decrease attention spans), books lead to imagination and increased focus.
Reading is More than Just Words
Have you ever opened a baby’s book with 4 pages and 4 total words? If you read just those 4 words and call it “read”, you are missing out.
Reading to your kids isn’t just reading the words on the pages. Help your kids increase their vocabulary/language by talking about the pictures. Explain what you see on the page. Express your own thoughts on whether an image of a child looks happy, sad, etc. When you talk about the feelings on the pages, your child will learn to understand those feelings and how they can apply to him/herself.
You can identify with the characters and what they are going through. Talk about how it would make you feel in that situation, and ask your child how it would make him/her feel in a similar situation.
Read to your Kids Every Day
You can read to your kids at any time. Rainy days are great for library visits or staying home with some favorite books.
Bedtime is a great time and place to slow down and calm our bodies and minds. Have your child pick a book each night, sit together, and connect with your child through the joy of reading. Talk about the pictures, thoughts, feelings, and ask questions.
If your child is having a specific problem, odds are there is an age appropriate book to help address that situation. If you are expecting a new baby, a “Big Brother/Big Sister” book can be helpful. If your child is facing the first day of school, bullying or divorce, there are books that can help you to help your child navigate this part of his/her life.
Books help children build a strong connection with their parents as well as with themselves, too. And it’s never too late to start reading to your child.
Therapy for Children in Washington, PA
Are you concerned about your child’s emotional well-being? Have you considered therapy for your child? Therapy can help your child communicate his/her worries and feelings. Your child will learn healthy ways to cope with anxiety, worry and fear.
As child counselors in Washington, Pa, we strive to help parents help their children. If you have any questions or would like to get to know us a little better, please call (724) 503-6670 or email us at admin@inthenowcounseling.org.
You can also reach us on Facebook as well as Instagram, too.
