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While it is true that children spend a significant portion of
their day with their teachers, it is often their parents who
wield more power to encourage them to read. However, a lot of
parents are unclear as to how they can achieve this. The
following steps outline some ways in which parents can improve
their children's' reading skills. Be enthusiastic about your
children's reading: Everyone needs encouragement and your
children are no different. Praise them for their effort. If you
show enthusiasm for reading, they will pick up on it and be
enthusiastic about it too. Set aside a regular reading time
every day: Set up a schedule, even if it just involves reading a
bedtime story out loud together. Your child will look forward to
getting to spend time with you and will strengthen their reading
skills as well. Make reading a family affair: Seeing everyone
else read will inspire your children to read as well. Put aside
some time, maybe 15-20 minutes every day for the family to just
sit and read quietly. Ensure that you home is filled with
reading material for your children: Encourage your children to
read by providing a lot of fun and exciting material at their
reading level. Put the reading materials everywhere...in cars,
bathrooms, family rooms, and by the television. Don't just stick
to traditional reading activities: Encourage your children to
read whenever they can... menus, roadside signs, television
guides, and playing instructions for games. This will encourage
them to read without knowing that it's reading time. Employ the
use of reading aids: There are a lot of products on the market,
including computer and board games that you can use. There are
also lots of ideas for home-made reading aids online. Make trips
to the library a regular event: Get your children into the habit
of going to the library by making it a fun day out. Introduce
them to the various programs that they may have available for
children, depending on their ages. Keep an eye on your
children's progress: Keep regular contact with your child's
teachers so you can have an idea of what they are being taught
and how well they're doing. Know when your children have tests
and review their grades. Be open to the possibility that your
children may have reading problems: Keep an eye on your child's
ability to sound out words and relate pictures to words. There
is no shame in having a child who has problems reading. They
just need a little more encouragement. Don't delay. Get
immediate help for reading problems: Ignoring a reading problem
will not make it go away. If your child does have a reading
problem then it is in their best interest to have it diagnosed
early so that they can get the help they need.
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