Reading is a huge part of my life, and I want to pass that passion down to my kids. Not just for the joy of it, but also the incredible influence it can offer. When children read, truly read, and engross themselves in a story, their little minds are being changed. So far, Chloe absolutely loves books and we adore reading to her, even if it means reading the same books over and over (and over and over!). When I was a teacher, I would always encourage parents to read aloud to their kids, even when their kids were old enough to read for themselves. Why? Because being read to is one of the best things for children (even teenagers) toexpand vocabulary, use imagination, build character and be given the opportunity to “get lost” in a book that they may or may not be able to comprehend on their own.
In my classroom, one of my favorite parts of the year was choosing novels to read with my students in reading groups. Each group was at a different reading level, and I always chose a book that was ABOVE that level. When kids are being read to OR reading along with support, they can comprehend so much more than they can when reading independently. They don’t have to worry about sounding out words or “wading” through the text; they can simply enjoy the story. And do you wonder why teachers spend valuable time each day reading aloud to their students after lunch or before dismissal? This is why. Because it’s important. It is actually one of the best things we can do for kids.
I am currently reading the book “The Read-Aloud Family” by Sarah McKenzie, and it is so inspiring! I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy of this book (you can get it here). No matter how old your kids are, I promise you will want to go out and pick some books that you can read to them. Chloe is still young, but we read stories of all kinds to her, both short and long and light and heavy on text. I cannot wait until she is old enough for me to read a classic novel to her! But this book is just a beautiful collection of thoughts and oh-so-poignant musings by McKenzie as she reflects on the impact reading stories to her children had on them.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
“When we read with our kids, we step outside the noise, the hustle, the friction, and for just a few minutes, we are completely and totally present with them.”
“These moments will live on in our children’s hearts even when they no longer live in our homes.”
“Raising our kids isn’t just about getting them ready for adulthood … It’s about transforming and shaping their hearts and minds. It’s about nourishing their souls, building relationships and forging connections.”
“We want our children to know without a doubt that people are people, whether or not they look like us, talk like us, or act like us, and that every last person on this earth deserves to be loved with wild abandon because each and every one of us is made in the likeness and image of God.”
“Our young readers can grow up to love the heck out of this world because the stories we read aloud to them during their childhood introduce them to a cast of characters so wider than they could have met in any other way. Those stories can unleash unstoppable hope and compassion.”
See what I mean? I feel so empowered reading this because I realize that the simple act of reading to and with my kids will leave such a lasting impression on them.
Do you read aloud to your kids? Do your kids love books? Drop a comment below!
xoxo, Heidi
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