There is no denying that reading can bring wholesome goodness into people’s lives. Reading allows people to learn and discover new things while also keeping their minds active. That’s why making it a habit to read to your child will benefit their growth and development.
Preparing your child to succeed as a reader begins at home, with us parents serving as a role model. Reading is a skill that should be cultivated in children from an early age because if children do not enjoy reading, there is a good chance they will grow up disliking it.
You can even start when your child is a baby and pique their interest by showing them baby books. Guide your little one by pointing out the pictures, saying the names, and describing them. Your child will surely enjoy looking at the pictures while hearing you read them aloud with enthusiasm. As they get older, you can introduce them to age-appropriate story books.
Numerous studies have also discovered a strong link between pleasure reading and academic success. Even so, some parents are hesitant or unwilling to read to their children. Reading to children from an early age is an obvious way to instil a love of reading in them. If you don’t, it may hurt your child in some ways. Here are some of the ramifications of not reading to your child:
Inadequate Reading and Communication Abilities
When you read to your young kids, they will learn new words and how to pronounce them properly. Reading a variety of books with varying tones and stories will also help your child emulate the reading.
Even though they may learn from listening to other people talk or from you talking to them daily, it is not the same because your vocabulary may be limited during a conversation. Thus, if you do not read to your child, they will lack those skills, and their ability to read and communicate will suffer as a result. People may also struggle to understand what they are saying.
Lack of Imagination and Creativity
If you enjoy reading books of any genre, you’ll notice that your imagination will run wild as you read. Compared to watching TV, what you can think and imagine is limitless when it comes to reading. For example, consider any novel that has been adapted into a film, such as the Harry Potter series. The difference between reading books and watching movies is that when you read, you have your own imagination of what happens.
Some fans prefer the books, claiming that what they see on screen does not match up to what they read. That is what imagination is all about. If you do not read to your child, they will lack this aspect of themselves, in which they will be unable to imagine certain things and think creatively.
Insufficient Knowledge of Literature and Vocabulary
This is similar to point number one, but it is more focused on your child’s literature and vocabulary development. Even if you can only read 2-3 books to your child per week, consider how much your child could learn in a month from all of those readings.
If your child is not exposed to enough reading time, he or she will not learn as many words or knowledge as they should. It’s also possible that they’re not developing per their age group (check here for a list of development by age). If they begin school with a lack of literature and vocabulary, they risk falling behind, which could have a negative impact on them.
Lack Skills Necessary for Lifetime Learning
When you read to your child, you are helping them to develop a variety of skills, and your child will eventually develop an interest in reading. Listening, language, fluency, spelling, problem-solving, focus, and concentration are just a few examples of skills that your child could learn as a result. All of these abilities will be useful to them as they begin school, venture out into the world, and so on. If your child is not introduced to reading, he or she may lack these skills, which may prevent them from knowing how to interact with others or pursuing specific interests.
Struggle with Low Self-Esteem and Feelings of Inadequacy
When your child isn’t used to reading, there’s a good chance he or she won’t be able to read well when they reach school age. This could be detrimental to them, especially if the majority of their peers are able to read by then.
Your child may believe that they are not good enough or that they are not on par with other people. This could seriously damage their self-esteem and leave them with few friends at school. All of this is because they are afraid or embarrassed to befriend those who they believe are better than them.
Refuse Reading and Not Interested in Books
If your child becomes like this, it’s a red flag because reading is something you’ll have to do no matter what you do in life. For starters, they will need to read study books for school and instructions to learn how to do certain things.
If you do not read to your child and they do not see you read, they will grow up not understanding the value of books. They may be unmotivated or simply do not find reading enjoyable. This attitude could be causing them problems because they might not understand what they’re learning and may take everything too lightly.
Let’s Grow Well-Informed Children Who Love Reading
Knowing all of the negative consequences of not reading to your child should instil in you a strong belief that reading is critical in their lives. Set a goal to inspire your child to read so that they can practise reading independently and become fluent readers. You can help your children find the tools they need to succeed in life by encouraging them to read.
As one of the world’s most powerful men stated,
“Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible”
– Barack Obama
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