Kids are naturally hyper. They’ll run, jump, and skip to entertain themselves. It’s pretty hard for them to stay still. That’s just the way they are.

Demanding that they stay still is not good for them. They’ll just end up doing the opposite and we’ll just end up getting more irritated.

If we want our kids to stay still, we shouldn’t tell them to do it. Instead, we should find an activity that can get them to stay still.

One activity that can help kids stay still is to read aloud to them. According to research, engaging kids in activities such as reading can have positive effects on their behavior. The research adds that literacy isn’t the only positive outcome of reading aloud to kids. I agree.

Improved Behavior

The research was pretty simple. It focused on a study called Reading Aloud, Play, And Social-Emotional Development.

What the researchers did was to group families into two. They videotaped the interactions of the two groups of families.

One group of families had parents interact with their kids through reading and playing. This group also had some intervention from the researchers. They provided positive feedback and reinforced the interactions between parents and kids.

The other group did not receive any kind of intervention from the researchers. It also did not get any feedback and reinforcement from the researchers.

A little more than a year after the study, the researchers found that the kids from the intervention group were more behaved. They also had better social skills as compared to the kids from the other group.

The Importance Of Reading And Playing With Kids

The study shows the positive effects of interacting with kids through reading, playing, and talking. Child expert, Alan Mendelsohn, cites an important thing about the study.

According to him, the study proves that kids can be better prepared for school if their parents spend some time reading aloud to them. Other interactions such as playing and talking can benefit them as well.

He also cites that kids can further develop their capacity to pay attention and to sit still through reading, playing, and talking. By reading aloud to them, they can enhance their capacity to engage with the story. These simple skills will prepare them for the big school.

Both reading and playing can facilitate conversation between parents and kids. No matter how simple the conversation is, words are exchanged to express feelings.

According to Mendelsohn, that’s important. That is what gets the kids to stay still. He further adds that when kids begin to internalize the language, they don’t usually get angry with another kid’s behavior. Hence, they become more tolerant. That also explains why kids become more behaved.

The Magic Of Face-To-Face Interaction

More than anything else, the parent and the child can spend quality time together when they read and talk to each other. That bond is also strengthened when they play with each other.

The face-to-face interaction that happens when parents and kids read and play together is crucial. It’s a far cry from the digital interaction kids get from screen time.

I would have to agree with the researchers of the study. If we could spend more time reading aloud to our kids, we could help channel their energy into something more productive.

An interesting book can keep the kids engaged.  They’ll start to think about the story; unconsciously, focusing on it. As time goes by, they will be able to associate the letters and the photos of the book to the story. Just like magic, they’re going to end up loving the same book over and over again.

At that point, that’s where we, parents, have to read the same old book over and over again. That’s okay. If doing that can contribute to the positive behavior of our kids, then it’s worth doing it all over again.

There’s no doubt about the calming effect of reading aloud to kids. As shown by the study, kids not only come out literate. They also come out as calm and behaved human beings. That’s great news for a parent, like me.

When your child learns to read at an early age, it expands their vocabulary and opens up their love for learning. It helps build their confidence and vastly improves their learning abilities.

And based on my experience, having the right reading methodology when teaching your child learn to read makes a world of difference.

I should know as I made that mistake. 😢

In fact, you can read my story about my child’s struggle with reading here and how we were able to help my child become an advanced reader here. 😀🤗

The post The Calming Effect Of Reading Aloud To Kids appeared first on ChildLovesToLearn.com.

The benefits of reading are limitless. That’s why, as parents, we’ll do anything to get our kids to learn how to read. We’re determined to teach them how to read so that they can reap the benefits of it.

No matter how tired we are, we always find the time to read out a book to our kids. The good news is that our tireless efforts aren’t futile. As much as our kids benefit, so do we. Read on to find out how parents can benefit from reading out loud to children.

Better Parents

It’s not easy to find time to read aloud to our kids. We have to make an effort to make it happen. However, this article might just be able to encourage more parents to read aloud to their kids.

According to the article, harsh parenting can be avoided when parents read regularly to their kids. At the same time, kids turn out to be more behaved when their parents read to them regularly.

This is backed up by a study that shows the positive effects of shared reading on parenting. The study, led by the researchers from the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, cites how reading strengthens the bond between parent and child.

Both the parent and the child become better people. I don’t just find that interesting but encouraging as well.

The shared reading study is the first to focus on parenting. Most of the studies on shared reading have always been focused on kids benefiting from reading.

This particular study is different. It focuses on how parents improve their parenting skills when they take some time to read aloud to their kids.

A lot of studies have already proven that reading aloud can help kids develop their language, emotional skills, and literacy. Needless to say, the focus of these studies has been geared towards children.

However, this particular study focuses on how parents become gentler when they spend time reading aloud to their kids. While it’s the first time a study has delved into the parenting side of shared reading, it is, no doubt, good news for a parent like me.

More About The Study

The study shows how both the parent and child benefit from reading, with the former developing more patience and the latter becoming more behaved.

Manuel Jimenez, the lead researcher of the study, explains how reading provides both academic and emotional benefits to a child. He adds that reading can also help develop positive parenting skills.

The study based its findings on 2165 pairs of mother and child. They all came from major cities in the United States. The study focused on how often the mothers read to their kids at ages one to three.

After two years, the mothers were interviewed again. They were asked about the way they disciplined their kids. They were also asked about the behavior of their kids.

Certain factors that could contribute to harsh parenting and disruptive child behavior were controlled. These factors were financial hardship and parental depression.

The results were astonishing. Moms, who regularly read to their one-year-old kid, hardly exhibited harsh parenting right up to the time their kid turned 3.

At the same token, moms, who regularly read to their three-year-old kid, hardly exhibited harsh parenting right up to the time their kid turned five.

It’s safe to say that frequent shared reading lessens the chances of becoming a harsh parent as time goes by.

The study showed fewer disruptive behaviors in kids which could also explain why parents exhibited better parenting skills. It could also be that since parents exhibited better parenting skills, there were fewer disruptive behaviors in kids. Either way, both mom and child become better people.

The study sheds light on parents, like me, who patiently take some time to read aloud to their kids. In spite of all the challenges, it feels good to know that reading aloud to our kids can help us become better parents.

When your child learns to read at an early age, it expands their vocabulary and opens up their love for learning. It helps build their confidence and vastly improves their learning abilities.

And based on my experience, having the right reading methodology when teaching your child learn to read makes a world of difference.

I should know as I made that mistake. 😢

In fact, you can read my story about my child’s struggle with reading here and how we were able to help my child become an advanced reader here. 😀🤗

The post Study Shows How Parents Benefit From Reading To Their Kids appeared first on ChildLovesToLearn.com.

There is nothing simple about teaching. Imparting information so that it could be absorbed and understood is no easy task. In spite of that, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.

Unfortunately, I never got around to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher. I ventured into another industry, which wasn’t so bad at all.

Now that I’m a mom, I am slowly fulfilling my dream of becoming a teacher. I’m proud to say that I am my daughter’s first teacher and I’m loving it.

I am loving how I can teach my daughter how to read, how to write, and even how to count.

Moms As The First Teachers

Well, I’m not a certified teacher who teaches within the confines of a classroom. I’m just someone who just teaches my daughter at home.

The nice thing about homeschooling is that it gives a mom, like me, an opportunity to experience teaching. I am enjoying every minute of it.

Homeschooling is a productive way to bond with my daughter. When my husband and I decided on homeschooling, I was toying with the idea of hiring a teacher who can help me out. If not a teacher, a tutor would do.

It was only until another homeschooling mom encouraged me to handle everything. That got me thinking. Aside from being able to save a couple of bucks on tutors, I would be able to fulfill of becoming a teacher. So, I said to myself, “Why not!”

From the first day of homeschooling my daughter, I knew I made the right choice. There was not even a moment when I had second thoughts about homeschooling my daughter. The best part of it all was that I realized that I should be my daughter’s first teacher.

Moms should be the first teachers of their kids. Needless to say, they might even be the best teachers for their kids. Of course, that’s just me talking and I could be a little biased on that.

A Sense Of Fulfillment

Nothing beats the feeling of seeing my kid learn. For me, it’s a massive sense of fulfillment.

The great thing about homeschooling is the simplicity of it. The subjects are very basic. Why shouldn’t they be? My daughter’s just five years old and we are at the stage where she is learning how to read, write, and do a little math.

The subject that I enjoy teaching my daughter at the moment is reading. This is not to say that I don’t like to teach writing and math. I do as well.

However, I find that teaching reading is more rewarding on my part. It isn’t easy. There are challenges.

Nonetheless, these challenges are manageable. As long as I patiently take the time to read a story out loud to my daughter, positive outcomes are bound to follow.

Modesty aside, my daughter is now able to recognize letters of the alphabet. She is also able to sound off all the letters of the alphabet. That has helped her a lot in reading simple words. I’m very happy about that.

Each time she sees a word, be it signage along the road or in the grocery, she is always trying her best read it. That makes me a very proud mom. The fact that she is trying gives me a sense of fulfillment.

Teaching Reading Is Fun And Entertaining

The best part of teaching reading is the story-telling portion of it. Reading a story out loud to my daughter is not just fun. It’s interesting.

I get to see how my daughter can process the story and it just amazes me what goes on in her innocent mind. There is never a dull moment when I ask her about the story that I’m reading out loud to her.

Most of the time, I’m entertained with the way my daughter understands the story. Every time I ask her what she thinks might happen to the story, she has a different interpretation.

Although I’m thrilled that she can stay still while I read out the story to her, I know we still have to work on a lot of things when it comes to understanding the story. One thing is for sure; she loves the story-telling portion of our daily routine. Well, so do I.

Sure, there are times when I worry about her comprehension. When those moments of worry creep up on me, I just tell myself that tomorrow is another day of learning.

I am very happy that my husband and I chose to homeschool for our daughter. It has given me the opportunity of a lifetime.

I have become the teacher that I’ve always wanted to be. The best part of it is that I am the teacher of a little girl I call my daughter.

When your child learns to read at an early age, it expands their vocabulary and opens up their love for learning. It helps build their confidence and vastly improves their learning abilities.

And based on my experience, having the right reading methodology when teaching your child learn to read makes a world of difference.

I should know as I made that mistake. 😢

In fact, you can read my story about my child’s struggle with reading here and how we were able to help my child become an advanced reader here. 😀🤗

The post A Mom’s Point Of View: The Thrill Of Teaching Reading appeared first on ChildLovesToLearn.com.

I remember it vividly. I was in fourth grade and my teacher was Mrs. Graf. She was amazing. She took some time to read aloud to the whole class and I was mesmerized with the 15-minute book reading every single day.

It was something to look forward to. I never had anyone read aloud to me. My parents never did it. So, it was definitely a treat for me each time Mrs. Graf read aloud to the whole class.

Out of all the books she read to us, Blubber and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret were my favorite. Judy Blume became my super hero and thanks to Mrs. Graf, I begged my parents to get me all her books. They did. Since then, reading became my favorite past time. It still is, to this day.

Reading became my virtual world. It was my escape. To this day, it still is. Now that I’m a mom, I’m committed to read aloud to my 5-year-old child. I have 8 valid reasons why I read aloud to my kid every single day.

8. Reading Aloud Sparks My Child’s Imagination.

Reading sparked my imagination when I was a kid. I’m sure it’ll do the same thing for my child. This is actually scientifically backed up by a research led by Dr. John Hutton from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He and his team ran brain scans on kids, aged three to five years, while listening to stories. Their findings were astounding.

“Overall, Hutton’s team found, the more often children had story time at home, the more brain activity they showed while listening to stories in the research lab.”

There is a big difference between listening to stories and watching television. Kids can’t go wrong with the former.

7. Reading Aloud Is A Stress Buster.

I find that reading aloud is a stress buster for both me and my child. When things get a little too crazy at home, reading aloud can help calm things down.

I am not the only one who feels this way. According to Iseeme.com,

“Reading out loud to kids distracts them from their own concerns and anxieties just as effectively. Reading with kids offers them the comfort of family interaction, while exposing them to real-world problems and solutions in a safe, non-threatening environment. It’s a win-won situation for both parent and child.”

6. Reading Aloud Introduces Life Lessons And Values.

Children’s books are loaded with valuable life lessons. The Complete Takes of Winnie-the-Pooh teaches the valuable lesson of friendship. The Little Engine That Could teaches the valuable lesson of positive thinking, perseverance, and grit.

The stories from Thomas and Friends teach various valuable lessons on friendship, teamwork, respect, grit, and honesty. Even I learn a thing or two each time I read one of these books to my child.

5. Reading Aloud Helps Develop Literacy And Comprehension.

A new research shows that reading aloud to kids is a more effective way of developing their vocabulary. According to the research that was conducted by Dr. Dominic Massaro of the University of California,

“Finding such rich language in a picture book is not unusual, and reading those stories aloud will introduce children to an extensive vocabulary.”

When kids develop their vocabulary, they develop their comprehension as well.

4. Reading Aloud Increases Attention Span.

Kids focus on the story that’s being read out to them. Their curiosity is tickled and hence, they become eager and excited to turn to the next page.

The moment they become focused on the story, it’s never easy stopping at a page. They just want to go on and on with the story. It could get pretty for me tiring at times. However, it just shows how my child’s attention span is focused on the story.

3. Reading Aloud Can Positively Impact A Child’s Behavior.

The life lessons in children’s books can definitely impact a child’s behavior. However, there is another aspect of reading aloud that positively impacts a child’s behavior. The fact that they have to stay still and pay attention to the story, they’re able to control their behavior.

According to Scarymommy.com,

A new study titled “Reading Aloud, Play, and Social-Emotional Development” determined that reading to children doesn’t just improve their literacy skills. It can also help kick issues with aggression, sadness, and the inability to sit still.

2. Reading Aloud Can Help My Child Grow Up To Be An Avid Reader.

The earlier kids are introduced to books, the better. They get to appreciate the wonderful world of storytelling. Most importantly, they get to appreciate books. This appreciation for books is something they can take with them as they get older.

According to the Nytimes.com, one of the ways to raise a reader is by starting a child early. What better way to start a child early but to read aloud to him or her.

1. Reading Aloud Is A Great Way To Bond With My Child

Among the many benefits of reading aloud, the one that stands out the most for me is the fact that I am able to bond with my child. As I read aloud to my child, who is snuggling close to me, there is that deep connection that’s bonding us together. I just love that feeling.

I can go on and on as to why I read aloud to my child. After all, the list of benefits is long. As a matter of fact, I can only think of the benefits when it comes to reading aloud to my child.

When your child learns to read at an early age, it expands their vocabulary and opens up their love for learning. It helps build their confidence and vastly improves their learning abilities.

And based on my experience, having the right reading methodology when teaching your child learn to read makes a world of difference.

I should know as I made that mistake. 😢

In fact, you can read my story about my child’s struggle with reading here and how we were able to help my child become an advanced reader here. 😀🤗

The post 8 Valid Reasons Why I Read Aloud To My Child appeared first on ChildLovesToLearn.com.