Find a Daily Regular Time to Read to Your Child

Read To Your Child Daily to Develop Their Literacy Skills

R eading books to your child is an essential step towards them developing confident Literacy skills.

Why is Reading With Your Child So Important?

Reading to your child for just ten minutes a day gives them a chance enjoy books, develop language skills and build their vocabulary.

If you read to your child for ten minutes a day for three years, that works out to be about seven days of continuous reading!

That amount of learning will have a dramatic effect on your child's ability to pick up reading at school.

Common Reasons for Parents Not Reading Daily with Their Children

These days, all parents are made aware of the importance of reading to their children. However, sadly not all parents get around to reading with their children on a daily basis.

We surveyed parents to find out what things prevented them reading with their children. There is a summary of the responses we got -

"At the end of the day, I am too tired to read"

We suggest... Reading does not have to be at bedtime. If you don't have the energy at the end of the day, experiment a little and find a time that suits you better.

"I rearly read to my children because I am too busy"

We suggest... Try recording how you spend your time. See if any activities could be put off... Then for each activity ask yourself if it is really more important that your child's development? The truth is not investing time with your child now will eventually catch up with them and helping them will be a lot harder to get things back on track.

"I also have a baby to look after and they take up all my time and energy"

We suggest... If possible ask your partner or grandparent to read to your child. If you have one, ask an older child to do the reading.

"Their children did not enjoy reading"

We suggest... Try taking your child to a library or bookshop and let them choose a book they like. Good books to try would be based on their favourite cartoon characters, TV program, or hobbies.

"I cannot find the time to read to all of the children"

We suggest... Try reading to them all together or get an older child to do the reading.

"English was not their first langauge and they not read English"

We suggest... Parents who cannot read English should obtain books in their mother tongue and read those instead. Doing this will help these children enjoy books. If such books cannot be found then simply using a English children's books and talking about the pictures in their mother tongue is the next best thing.

"I am a single parent and I just don't have the time/energy"

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Note: If your personal circumstances are difficult and you feel you are not coping, then look after yourself and children first. Learning comes second to your family's wellbeing is concerned. Consider confiding with your child's teacher or your doctor.

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