Reading creates bonding with your child

by Pamela Cheong

Reading to your child does not have to start only when they are older. Reading can start anytime. Yes, anytime. Many people in Asia may treat reading to children as studying or teaching them through books. But they may have forgotten reading is also a time for bonding with your child. It is also a time for resting and slowing down the busy hassle of the day.

I believe reading starts young. How young? As young as they are babies or even when the baby is in mummy's tummy. I started reading to my daughter Sammi when she was in my tummy. It all begins with some basic large print and single sentence books I found in the bookstore. I think they are very interesting. So I quiet myself down, select a comfortable seat and start reading slowly page by page. Sometimes even giggling to myself. My mind was imagining my baby sucking her thumb enjoying my voice and my reading and voice. A couple of times, my baby responded with kicking within my tummy. I enjoyed this feeling very much. It is so unforgettable for a mum.

When Sammi was an infant, I read to her too. But reading time is very, very short. Maybe a minute as her attention span is short. Simple shapes and animals books with single or few primary colors on it. Reading and showing her the pictures by flipping through the pages very slowly. I just love to see the reaction of Sammi when I read to her. Sometimes she smiled and other times my sound would smoother her so much that she actually slept. But it does not bother me even if she had no attention span for me to finish the story. I felt bonded with her doing such simple tasks for her and myself.

When she was a toddler, her attention span increased. So was her curiosity. Most books that I bought or was passed down from friends and relatives were those with big single pictures and word. Some have special texture for touch. At this time, the senses in the toddlers are "activated" so they are more sensitive to touch or to brighter colors and worst to bite the books given to them as they are teething. So choosing books that are easy to wash or cloth made books at the best. Many choices are available but for toddler's safety always choose with care.

My time of reading to her may varies. Sometimes early in the morning before I leave for work or when I am back home after work, washed up and ready for her bedtime. (Usually 8-8:30 p.m. - consider early sleep time for Asian families)

Children like structured timing for activities. So reading to Sammi becomes a habit developed over time. Now that she is 5 years, she will automatically goes to her book shelve, picks her favorite book and asks me to read before bed time. She identifies it as a time when she and mummy can share special time together. Please also note that the environment and the settings within the reading area are also important.

Child at this age has their preference of story book. So a few notes to share on reading to your child.

1) Have a designated time of the day where it is a reading time with you and the child. ( 1 to 1). Be flexible to special needs and events too.

2)Do not try to dictate what book you should read to her/him each day. Remember to ask yourself what is the objective of reading to her at this time.

3)Do not try to change the story each day. Children have their own preference. They may ask you to read the same story for 3-5 consecutive days. You may be bored but not them. Try to make reading the same story interesting by asking them questions on the story read. Alternatively try changing the story line for once a while. (They will correct you and tell you the story did not go/end like you said just).

4)Do not try to use bedtime reading to teach your child. I did that once because I was very concerned of some comments made by teacher on Sammi ability to recognize three letter words taught in day care. That does not work. She hates it and refuse to pick up that book anymore. Bad try for me. So I have reminded myself my objective of reading to her each night before sleep.

5) Reading for sake of teaching. Specific time to set aside each day to run through some teaching or writing with your child. But do not force upon them. Try to encourage them based on your observation and mum's instinct on what they like and help them enjoy reading.

6) Reinforce the interest of the reading with other activities. Examples: Doing role play on the stories read or finds opportunities to bring them to a theatre that act out the same story read. My personal story on Little Red Hen Story. I bought this classic story book for my daughter. She seldom picks this book automatically as her favorite as there are many other topics/books that interest her. Until one day I brought her to the theatre showing Little Red Hen. She was so into the Drama on Little Red Hen, that night it was very spontaneous that when I suggest reading Little Red Hen story, she listens to it willingly. Now, she has a visual memory of the drama to associate with the stories. So mummies do not blame your child for selecting only toys and books associated with all the commercial cartoons. This is because when they watch the cartoons on TV, it also influence them what they tends to read. What is the most important thing about reading with your child? Ask yourself. You will then discover the joy of reading with your child. Creating bonding as primary objective. Secondary outcome like on cultivating reading habits will come in eventually.

Lastly I would like to recommend a book I read with Sammi this evening. This book titled " Papa fish 's Lullaby " is borrowed from the National Library. (Thanks to my dad, Sammi's grandpa that he is also a vivid reader and encourages reading among grandchildren). It is written by Patricia Hubbell , well-known book writer for children, won lots of awards. Each page there is only 2 sentences. Each sentence is like poetry, simple and full of meaning. Illustration is done very creatively by Susan Eddy. I love the illustration as it is created using plasticine clay and photographed and finalized in Adobe Photoshop. The seals, otter, sea turtle, Coral fish, whales, anemone, jelly fish and seagull are very real and have strong 3D effects. Nearly every single page, there are illustration of an adult mummy animals with its young. Sammi loves the picture of the sea otter mummy and the baby sleeping on mummy's tummy. She even acted out as the floating jelly fish when I read "Moon jellies, drifting with the tides, spend sleepy nights on Starlit rides." Today's reading with her is one of the enjoyable time spent besides other activities done for the day.

Pamela Cheong is a working mum with a 5 year old daughter. Her blessings are to have a healthy and adorable daughter in her life. As an internet marketer part-time, she loves to share her knowledge with rest of the parents. For more parenting blessings sharing, please visit her blog http://www.parentingblessings.com/.

About the Author
Pamela Cheong is a working mum with a 5 year old daughter. Her blessings are to have a healthy and adorable daughter in her life. As an internet marketer part-time, she loves to share her knowledge with rest of the parents. For more parenting blessings sharing, please visit her blog http://www.parentingblessings.com/.