As parents, we all want to give our children the very best start in life.
We've heard that reading is important and that we should read to our children but why exactly is it so important and what can you do to give your child a head-start when it comes to reading and literacy?
You'll find the answers to these questions and more on this site.
As a mum and keen reader myself, I began looking into this whole literacy thing when my twin sons were born eighteen years ago. I read everything I could lay my hands on about children and reading and made it my mission in life to find great books to share with my sons.
We read lots and lots of books together and, over the years, getting kids excited about reading became my passion.
As the boys and their little sister got older, they sometimes found it hard to find books that really sparked their interest and together we scoured libraries, book shops and the internet in search of great books for their age group. We also asked friends and relatives to recommend books.
My kids are all teenagers now (yikes!) and I'm now a primary school teacher in Sydney.
What I learned during my uni studies has reinforced my view that getting kids into reading is one of the most important things parents and carers can do.
Reading is basically the foundation for everything your child will learn at school. If a child can read well, he has the skills to enable him to make the most of the material that's taught to him.
Being a good reader is also a huge confidence boost for kids and, of course, it's also an important life skill.
And the best news is that there are heaps of easy, fun things you can do to help your child become a confident and enthusiastic reader.
I'll share with you tips and information about reading to children and which books to choose.
You'll also find information about things like:
- how children learn to read;
- how parents can help struggling readers;
- why poems and nursery rhymes are so important;
- how to choose the best read aloud books;
- the best parenting books;
- the effects of TV on children’s reading and on their performance at school;
The most important thing to remember is that, YES, you can raise your child to be a sensational and enthusiastic reader - and you can do it on your own better than anyone else!
You may like to start with one of these pages:
