Reading to Your Children
Some parents think that their child is too old to be read to when they are able to read to themselves. Reading to children, however, continues to be important throughout the grade school years. An adult can read a book that has harder words, vocabulary and even situations than a child can handle on his/her own. When a child hears words that he/she is not familiar with it helps him/her to be able to figure out those words more easily in the future. Just knowing that word exists helps the child to decode that word. It also helps the child to build his/her vocabulary. Many words can be learned just using the clues in the story of their meaning. You may have the opportunity to discuss the meaning of some words which also helps the child. Since you are there when the reading happens, you can discuss what is happening in the story and help the student to make sense of it. For example, if the story is about some part of history that is unfamiliar, you can help your child to understand the context in which the story takes place. Another good reason to read to your child is that it provides for a routine that is calming and relaxing before they go to sleep. It is beneficial for your child to be well rested before a day of hard work at school. By having a routine of getting ready for bed and then listening to part of a well-written book, it helps promote a sense of well-being. It helps for them to focus on something other than their own cares and worries and therefore, to fall asleep easier. I encourage you to read to your children, even your 4th and 5th graders before they go to bed. I think your whole family will enjoy it.
