How To Read with Your Pre-Teens

Reading opens the door to a vast mass of knowledge, a world of new and exciting adventures.  One of the best ways to encourage a child’s reading skills is to read to them from a very early age. However, a lot of children today are not developing the habit of reading. It is a sad realization that many children would rather sit in front of the television all day watching their favorite programs, playing video games, surfing the Internet or chatting with their friends. Although there are benefits of being a techno savvy, the use of these tools should be monitored. As parents, it is our duty to prepare our children to face adulthood and part of this is to give them our time and our love. Teach them to love reading and this will help them face the world with confidence and succeed in their life. Studies say that children who are interested in reading develop faster in many academic areas than students who are unprepared with basic reading skills.

Just because your child is already in his or her preteens or is an independent reader, does not mean you should stop reading with them. As much we’d like, many of us parents do not have as much time to spend with our kids, but it’s a MUST! You’ll be surprised at the benefits it can bring to your child. The best benefit would be the time you spend with them that creates a bond between you and your child. It’s never too late!

Research has shown that reading out loud to children is the single most important thing a parent can do to prepare a child for future academic success. Be it a magazine, a newspaper article, a graphic novel or a book, this will be a special activity that you can share with your children. No matter what the subject matter is, as long as they are reading they become a better reader. The benefits of reading aloud can last well into their teen years.

Here are some tips for reading aloud:

1. Keep reading to older children. This way younger children will be encouraged.
2. Try a graphic novel.  The reason why kids these days are so engrossed with the television is because of its visual content.
3. Take turns in reading. Act out the speaking parts, change your tone of voice, use low and high pitch.
4. Expand vocabulary. If your child comes across difficult words, make sure you interpret it for them or better yet, have a handy dictionary and teach him how to use it.
5. The most important of all is ENJOY! Treasure this wonderful moment with your child – laugh and have fun.

Parents are role models. Children look up to their parents, if they see us reading, they will be encouraged to read too. So make sure you have books, appropriate magazines and papers around the house. 

As your children mature, you may have to introduce new and more challenging books to read. Take note of your child’s special interests and give him books that can stimulate his interest. Go to your favorite bookstore or surf the net you can find several suggestions that will help you choose the best literature. 

Lastly, as we are all caught up with our own busy schedules, and kids with their school activities, resist the temptation of giving up on family reading time.