On behalf of all children, I would encourage parents to consider reading more bedtime stories. In a recent study researchers found that storytelling ranked higher than TV or video games among pastimes for kids and that "more than half of all children aged 3 to 8 said story-time was their favorite pastime with their parents.
As a parent I can recall evenings when my children begged for a story and being too tired, either didn't read one or I would speed through a familiar book only to be caught skipping pages, heaven forbid! But I can also recall some of the best times reading great children's literature with my kids as we laughed together at David running down the street bare-bottomed, cheering together for Desperaux as he fought the rat, Chiaroscuro, crying with Fern when Charolette died, or giggling as we read of Othello's romantic longings for Desdemona.
Storytelling is such a natural thing for people to do and we all love a good story. I am constantly reminded of how important it is to do this as a family. Turning off the TV, computer, or video games and just curling up with your child and a good book can create some of the best and least expensive memories that I am aware of.
Even if your child is over the age of ten, even if it is a book that you're reading for the twenty-third time, or it's a book that, gasp... you did not select. Kids want to hear it and more importantly they want to hear it from you.
Visit your local libraries together, don't stress on your child's choice of literature, be involved in the process, and don't forget to pick-up an audio book or two for those evenings when you just want to sit back and listen to a good book too!
If you're interested, here's the Reader's Bill of Rights. Think about how adults assert these rights everyday in their own reading, kids should be able to as well:
1. The Right to Not Read
2. The Right to Skip Pages
3. The Right to Not Finish
4. The Right to Reread
5. The Right To Read Anything
2. The Right to Skip Pages
3. The Right to Not Finish
4. The Right to Reread
5. The Right To Read Anything
6. The Right to Escapism
7. The Right to Read Anywhere
8. The Right to Browse
9. The Right to Read Out Loud
10. The Right to Not Defend Your Tastes
7. The Right to Read Anywhere
8. The Right to Browse
9. The Right to Read Out Loud
10. The Right to Not Defend Your Tastes
For a fun movie that is kid friendly that deals with bedtime stories, check out Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories.
1 comment:
Just visiting from PhotoPeach and wanted to say "Hear! Hear!" Coincidentally, my blog post today was about encouraging kids' reading by reading aloud. It breaks my heart to think of youngsters who aren't learning to love books.
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