Positive Parenting: Reading to Children

Everyone knows that reading to children is good for kid's development. But you may not know why reading to your kid is such a good thing. In fact, it's never too soon to start reading to your kid—even if they have no idea what the words mean! You don't even need to read from a children's book. Read to them from the daily newspaper if you like. Just keep it lively (you know how to ham it up!) Aside from bonding with your kid, reading to your kid helps him in all sorts of ways.

Here are some of the many ways that reading to your kid helps them to develop important skills:

• Promotes language and reading skills
  
• Helps with family bonding
  
• Helps to expand and develop vocabulary
  
• Exposes them to other cultures
  
• Encourages imagination, creativity and storytelling
  
• Helps kids to learn to express themselves
  
• Helps develop self esteem
  
• Helps kids develop interests
  
• Helps with conflict resolution
  
• Helps kids to explore their feelings
  
• Helps to develop the ability to concentrate
  
• Helps kids develop listening skills
  

Most importantly, reading to children teaches them to appreciate books. A kid who loves books is a kid who can entertain himself! Hopefully, by teaching your kid the pleasure of reading at an early age, you'll instill a lifelong love of reading and learning!