Growing up, my parents read a story to me every night. I always assumed it was the standard in every child's bedtime routine across the country. As a teacher with my degree in Early Childhood Education, I know the importance of reading to children. The benefits associated with a simple daily bedtime story seem endless. Imagine my amazement when I read the statistic stating that only 39% of parents read to their children on a daily basis (Young, Davis, and Schoen, 1996). In a word, I was flabbergasted. I've witnessed the struggling readers and the impact that has on their daily lives. When a child has difficulties reading, everything in school suffers as a result. Would something as simple as a daily ten minute bedtime story interaction between a parent and child prevent these kids from struggling throughout their school years? Could it really be that simple? I want parents to know how vital it is to read to their children everyday.

Benefits

Teaches Basic Reading and Writing Skills

When children are being read to, they are taking in so much at once. Simple things experienced readers may take for granted are introduced during the first few years of life while listening to a story. Children who are familiar with books know how to hold a book and turn the pages from left to right. They know that the book has a title. Pre-readers also understand that the book contains pictures and words and they start distinguishing words and letters. They begin to recognize that the printed text is read from right to left and top to bottom, which is directly related to beginning writing skills. School districts expect children to be reading simple word texts by the end of kindergarten, and having these basic skills can propel them toward success.

Teaches Basic Listening Skills

It's true, as I experience it in the classroom everyday. Some children don't have the ability to sit still long enough to listen to a story. It can be possible that some children may have trouble because of a disability, but others may simply lack the insight to what story time is all about. Making story time at home a daily, fun and engaging activity can encourage children to get excited about story time at school which can also discourage behavior issues.

Promotes Vocabulary and Language Skills

Just think of all the new words children hear from books. Our daily conversations do not require much use of complex language or vocabulary and can hinder the development of a child's oral language. Reading to a child can introduce so many new words, especially nonfiction titles. Children's literature provides great models of language for children. In hearing the flow of the writing and the innovative words, especially in repeated readings of the same text, can nurture children's language development.

Builds Knowledge of the World

As in language development, reading exposes children to worlds of new information. As a teacher, I used books to teach children about a topic, such as a place, or a person, or a topic. The amount of information a child can learn from books is never-ending, which leads into the next benefit.

Fosters a Love of Reading

Enabling children to enjoy reading is one of the most important gifts a parent can do. Kids will learn reading skills in school, but they will come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they may lose their desire to read, effecting their schoolwork and desire to learn. When a parent shares an exciting story with a child, and in turn, gets excited with the child, the parent is showing how much fun reading can be. Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook, encourages parents to lead by example by stating; "Make sure your children see you reading for pleasure other than at read-aloud time. Share with them your enthusiasm for whatever you are reading".

Encourages Parent-Child Bonding

Reading aloud also creates a special time for parents to bond with their children. Cuddling together for a bedtime story, you'll be helping your children develop a lifelong appreciation for reading. (Reading Aloud, n.d.) Builds Self-Esteem Children often want to hear the same story over and over. Just as adults may need to hear something more than once to remember or understand, children are the same way. Trelease (2001) makes a very interesting point, "Those of us who have seen a movie more than once fully realize how many subtleties escaped us the first time. Even more so with children and books". He also points out that repeated readings can turn a child into an expert on a particular book. The child feels good about himself and connects that good feeling with reading (Trelease, (2001).

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Today, it seems, everyone is too busy to do much of what we know is important or needed. Just because a parent feels they don't have 15 or 20 minutes to read to their child for whatever the reason, there are still ways to find the time for what has been called "the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for success in reading is reading aloud to children". With the help of the Reading is Fundamental Organization's website (www.rif.org) I've compiled a list of ideas to enable parents to find opportunities to read to their children and help them succeed.

- Mealtime is a perfect time to get the family together and read an imaginative story. Before dinner is served or as everyone is finishing, take an extra few minutes to read.

- Most children love bath time. While they are soaking in the warm tub and confined to one place, use this time to read.

- Is it a beautiful day? Take the kids to the park, but take a book along. Times like these create memories!

- Many families go out to dinner fairly regularly. Take a book with you and read while you are waiting for the food.

- Having kids means frequent visits to the doctor's office. Take a book to share for the long wait.

- Encourage interest-based reading. If a particular topic interests a child, visit the library and ask the librarian to help you find some books on that subject. This will promote reading!

- Keep a book in the car just in case you have some spare time in the car.

- Make a tent with a sheet and some chairs to create a "reading hideaway"

- Telling stories can still help stimulate a young child's development. Make up a silly story or tell a true story from the past. Singing songs could also encourage language improvement.

Getting Books into Children's Homes

A key to having the opportunity to read aloud to children is having the books available to read. Many parents can't afford to purchase books and have no means to get to the library. As a result, programs nationwide have emerged with one goal - getting books to the children who need them. Researchers at the University of Southern California started a book loan program and literacy workshops at Para Los Ninos, a nonprofit social services agency in Los Angeles serving mostly single mothers and their children. The workshops teach parents simple ways to promote emergent reading, such as tracking the words with their finger. The book loan program contains about 800 books readily available at the Para Los Ninos agency and does not have any fees for late or damaged books. By providing parents a short, informative workshop and an easier, less-intimidating way to obtain books, test results are showing the Para Los Ninos preschoolers are entering elementary school reading at or above grade level compared with other children of immigrant families who typically enter kindergarten behind their peers. (Tawa, 2000)

Another example aimed at all children and families not based on need is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (www.imaginationlibrary.com). This program offers children a free book every month mailed directly to their home from birth to age 5. The only stipulation is that it is not available in all areas yet. Dolly Parton and organizations nationwide are recognizing the importance of reading to young children and how that directly affects a child's success in school. Any child would be extremely excited to receive a book in the mail - such a great motivator for encouraging a love of reading!

Reading is such an important part of our lives and of our success as students, working professionals, parents, etc. If every parent knew that a few minutes of reading with their child each day could help ensure their child becomes a successful reader and lifelong learner, most would follow through and do it. Teachers and librarians need to expose these facts to parents to prevent more students from falling behind in reading and all areas of school. As Trelease states, "The more you read, the better you get at it; the better you get at it, the more you like it; and the more you like it, the more you do it. And the more you read, the more you know; and the more you know, the smarter you grow" (2001).

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Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know [Illustrated Edition] List Price: $9.95 Sale Price: $9.14 You save: $0.81 (8%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description 2011 Reprint of 1915 edition. Illustrated full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This volume contains a collection of fairy tales from a wide array of classical works, which we have grown up throughout time...

Little Shoes (A Colorful Children's Picture Book) List Price: $0.99 Description A colorful picture book for children from ages 2 - 6.Read to your child at bedtimeA pair of little red shoes, Maya and Finn, get a new home: a little girl buys them and takes them home.The story is illustrated with colorful pictures your child will love...

The Hope Flower (a great book for children ages 4 to 8) Description One flower grew in a trash covered lot. It wouldn't stop growing!A full-color, fully illustrated children's book for young readers ages 4 to 8. Perfect for bedtime or for the child to read on their own...

A Penguin on the Farm (An illustrated picture book for young children) + BONUS Dinosaur Facts Description Great for Kindle Fire and iPad!Penguin escapes from the zoo and looks for a new home. He finds a group of great friends at the farm, but one of them gets Penguin in trouble and the farm animals need to catch him before he goes back to the zoo!A rich and colorful book of over 30 pages combining 3D characters with vibrant backgrounds...

Happy Hat Day. A Silly Rhyming Children's Picture Book Description Our hats are bent!Our hats are old!Our heads are bare!Our heads are cold!We all need new hats, it's clear!Thank goodness Happy Hat Day's nearly here.Another silly rhyming picture book from Gerald Hawksley...

How To Be A Superhero (A Fun Illustrated Children's Picture Book; Perfect Bedtime Story) List Price: $2.99 Description BOOK DESCRIPTION: Every kid dreams of being a superhero, and they should, because being a superhero is awesome, right? But how do you be one? Join Superior Guy, the world's greatest hero*, as he teaches you the way of the superhero! This sequel to How to be a Super Villain is just as funny and witty as its predecessor...

God Gave Me You (A Picture Book For Young Children And Their Parents) Description The heavens have billions of stars,The earth has oceans of blue,I must have done something right,Because God gave me you.God Gave Me You is a beautifully illustrated picture book for young children. Your children will know how grateful you are for them when you read this book together...

Happy Animals. A Children's Animal Picture Book List Price: $2.99 Description Happy cat.Happy dog.Happy frog, on a log.Happy owl, in a tree.Happy ducks. One, two, three.A book of happy animal pictures with simple rhyming text, and a happy ending!