UNBEKNOWNST to most, November is the National Reading Month. The annual event by DepEd started in 2011 to promote literacy and love for reading. In line with this, there is an “Araw ng Pagbasa” (National Day of Reading) celebrated every 27th of November here in our country. It may seem rather trivial to promote reading, when there are more pressing matters plaguing the country, but literacy is the stronghold of every developing nation.
Improving literacy skills go hand in hand with the right to education. Many studies indicate that literacy empowers people, enables them to participate fully in society, and contributes to the improvement of livelihoods. This simple act of picking up a book and being immersed in words teaches us so much about life. The thirst for knowledge is something that no one should ever frown upon.
Motivating our kids to read is a worthwhile endeavor. Thirty minutes to an hour a day is really not too much to ask for. If they have “unli” call, text, and FB, then they can make time to read. There's actually an infinite amount of materials available; all of us are bound to find something we’ll surely enjoy.
Reading broadens our minds and expands our horizons. Books become our window to see the whole world, ideas that transcend the universe, other people, and sometimes, even ourselves. There are numerous benefits in picking up a book. Here are few examples, especially for our kids:
Fuels imagination
Stories magically capture the imagination of children who read them. As young kids, they see pictures of animals or Sesame Street characters and imagine them talking to each other. When they grow bigger, pictures become less, words become more, and then they use their minds to visualize the characters faces and settings. Voracious readers hungrily devour each page, eager to see what happens in the end.
Builds Stronger Communication Skills
Reading builds vocabulary and mastery of language. Witnessing interactions between characters offer a glimpse at various ways of handling different situations. Moreover, the act of reading aloud to a much smaller child gives him an opportunity to hear proper enunciation. It also shows him that it is healthy to express and exchange ideas. Typically, people who like to read also speak and write eloquently.
Improves logical thinking
Children's abilities to grasp concepts, apply sound reasoning and judgment to situations, plus see cause and effect are all enhanced by reading. Kids will be able to relate what they see in books to what happens in real life, and vice-versa.
Fosters bonding
The act of reading to younger children allows parents to spend quality time with their kids. These are the kinds of memories that we would all like to look back on years down the line. For older kids, it gives us common topics and themes to talk about and discuss during dinner.
Encourage receptiveness to new experience
As children approach major milestones or encounter potentially stressful changes, sharing a relevant story is one useful way to help ease these transitions. For instance, if a toddler is nervous about potty-training, reading a story dealing with the same theme teaches the child that anxiety over a toilet's newness is okay, and he will eventually learn to like it. The same concept applies to teenagers dealing with deeper issues.
Develops concentration and discipline
Preschoolers initially squirm and become distracted during story-time, but eventually, they all learn to keep still and stay put until the end. For older children, following a story not only develops their reading comprehension, but it also fosters stronger self-discipline, longer attention span, deeper level of patience, and better memory retention.
Promotes reading as fun!
Younger children who have been exposed to books early have this mindset that reading is not a boring chore. Older children who have made it a habit to read will not only be glued to their gadgets. Aside from iPads, the TV, or their phones, they include books and other printed material in their entertainment repertoires.
Personally, I do not let my children touch their gadgets if they have not picked up a book. Thirty minutes is really not that much! Encouraging our children to be friends with a book is a vital task. A book is a gift that everyone can open again and again. All of us are so busy mindlessly connecting with friends on Facebook. Clearly, people also have time to FaceYOURbook.