Sunday, June 21, 2009

Reading aloud to your children


Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
~ Joseph Addison
~

I am not sure why some parents, grandparents, or assorted relatives do not read to the young people in their family.

Here's my message in brief~

1. READ TO KIDS. ALL KIDS. ALL RELATIONS.

Read them books and stories, read them magazine articles, read them newspapers, the funnies, comic books; read to them what you like, what they like, get picture books that have some words; read with voices as they love that ...

Just Read to Them.

I have observed that many parents in the public school system do not think that reading aloud to their children is a requirement any more. Some of these parents think just handing their child a book and saying, 'read this', it is enough.

IMO, and my credentials as a wife, mom, aunt, sister, grandmother, friend, homeschool parent/teacher, school volunteer, daughter, hairdresser, neighbor, etc ... is that ~

It is never enough.

Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.(1994)
~ Emilie Buchwald
~

2. Not only ~Read~ to your kids, go volunteer to read to children at a local library or school (if you have kids, and have the time, take them with you). When my working hours cut down this school year, that is what I am going to do,

and I read to my granddaughter who is 6 months old. She loves books. Already she knows that the pages turn (knew that last month actually).

Never underestimate a child. I would encourage you to seek out good literature along with reading a book called Icky Bugs ~~


The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision
and strengthens our most fatal tendency--
the belief that the here and now is all there is.
~ Allan Bloom ~


More later on this topic

Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life.
~ Mortimer J. Adler ~

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