Healthy Children: Reading aloud to your child

Dr. P's favorite quote of the week

"You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go. "

- Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go! (1990)

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"You make 'em [children], I amuse 'em."

- Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel)

Dr. P comments

Of all the gifts you can give your children, a lifelong love of books and reading has to be high on the top 10 list.

Give your little infant a nice cardboard book to chew. Start reading books aloud to him/her well before s/he has a clue what the book is about. What s/he will learn is to associate books with closeness to you and with warmth and love and interesting visual displays and expressive language. Baby Einstein can't hold a candle to reading aloud in promoting infant brain development!

As s/he becomes a toddler, the content of the book becomes more interesting and s/he will delight in reading the same thing over and over and over... Books are a great way to end the day and, as your child gets older, you may even become interested in a compelling 'chapter 'book' that is read aloud every night.

Bottom line: It's never to early to promote a love of books, which will lead to a love of reading. Aside from the early benefits of promoting attachment and language and active learning (unlike the passivity of watching TV), what a gift as an adult to be able to enjoy a wonderful book!

Related Topics: Communicating With Your Child, Pull the Plug on Television