Apr 14, 2008

How to raise a reader


I want my child to love reading because it is basic in learning plus a great contribution to the intelligence of a child. It is not actually a chore. They must have fun in reading.
I do love reading.
My child grows up seeing me and his dad read a lot. Talks about authors in our spare time and also as he becoming more mature, he observes that most of my close-friends are also into reading.
That maybe became one of the contributing factor why he is into reading a lot.
Until now we have reading aloud moments and we truly enjoy that kind of bonding.
In his school, when asked by Teacher Jo to tell a story about their most beautiful memories!~ Bien daw shared his Reading-aloud moment with mom as his most enjoyable memories especially if the book is interesting and interestingly read. He also told his classmate that his mom would changed her voice tone, hums and would also create a sound effects to stimulate his imagination.

Reading to Bien is done as often as I could, making it as a part of my routine as he grows up even when I was still working an eight-hour work in DENR before.
Today, I was lucky to be working at-home as environmental writer here in GenSan and have the time to spend with Bien more. I would just spend an hour or three meeting to know the needs of my clients, work with the report for 3 months, defend it in a Protected Area Board Management here and have their operational permit approved for them. I would still see my son every hour, check his details and improvements and most of all be with him and have fun.
I was able to make reading as a part of his daily routine such as after taking a bath, before naps and at bed time. I would also sit next to him and put him in my lap while reading our favorite stories over and over again. Familiarity breeds reading. Also, I entertain all his questions, review my science and geography subjects ( buti na lang me net) because I don't want to give him wrong answers. In cases where I don't really have any answer to his questions, I will honestly tell him and together we will search the internet to clear the confusions and right away kahit I'm still doing something, iiwanan ko na at sabay na kaming magre-research.
My closeness with him involves a lot of personal touch, I guess this would reinforce that reading is pleasurable.

In my case, I would sometimes come to a point when I would have to choose between reading and sleeping. Ang katakot lang, pag naubos na basa I would have the craving of buying books again. You could imagine how much would I spend.

So what would parents can do to raise a reader?
1. Setting by example. When they see you read will make them realized that reading is
worthwhile;
2. Exposing them to Bookstores
3. Read posters everywhere when the kids are with you
4. Use picture books
5. Talk to the kids and listens to them
6. Talks about books
7. Giving them books and reading treats
8.Let your child reads to you
9. Avoid TV and computer games
10. Maintain a happy relationship with the kids

I never fail to praised Bien for his reading accomplishment. Punishment is not even my choice in disciplining him for slow reading and mistakes. I cheer him up and recognize even the smallest thing he do.

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