Reading to Your Kids At Night is Good For You Both
Does reading to your child really matter? Is there any value for mom? Absolutely! Reading can be beneficial for both mom and child. Read below to find out how.
- Enforces wind-down time. Engaging in quiet activities with your child before bed helps to transition them from a rigorous day to a quiet and restful night. Reading to them in low tones and a soothing voice are great ways to help your little ones decompress and prepare for sleep. It also helps you to unwind from a stressful day and relax with your little one. The sooner they can wind down, the sooner you can relax!
- Encourages intimacy. Quiet reading is a great way to cuddle and have physical contact before your child drifts off to sleep. It gives your little one a sense of security as they snuggle deeper into your arms, and allows you to steal sweet kisses in between turning pages. Physical contact increases your bond and deepens your connection.
- Allows you to insert your own lessons. As you read bedtime stories, think of ways to add your own twist. At the conclusion of each page, add a moral lesson or relate the story back to your child’s own life. Whether you touch on the rewards of good behavior, or the repercussions of keeping a messy room, it can be a direct segue into topics that need to be addressed.
- Is eye-opening. Reading can help you to understand your child’s needs. Asking questions about what you read may help you to pick up on their comprehension strengths and weaknesses. In addition, their questions may act as a window into their world about other things they may be thinking or feeling.
- Is satisfying. Early exposure to reading is monumental because it sets your child up for academic achievement later in life. It’s satisfying to know you are laying important groundwork and molding your child into an intellectual.
- Creates positive memories. Years from now, your child may not remember which book was read, or what the story was about. But they will remember how you made them feel. They will remember your warm touch, your soothing voice and the sense of the security they felt as you ventured into a world of imagination together.
