This problem probably affects all parents directly or indirectly. The most common example is children in first grade who are beginning to learn to read and write, but the idea of working on books and workbooks is frightening.
What went wrong? Why, I wonder? This is not just a problem for six-year-olds; it is a problem for elementary school children. This problem actually begins at birth. Today and every day we meet mothers who do not read to their children. The saddest answer is, “The child does not understand.” Or, “Because the child doesn\’t understand.” Worst of all, “It\’s a waste of time.” These answers are truly sad and mothers are making a huge mistake.
In our opinion, the ideal situation is for mom to read to her child from birth. Mom, or even dad, can put the baby to bed in the crib this way every night. The child hears the parent\’s voice, a pleasant tone of voice that follows the story line, and becomes accustomed to its regularity.
Thus, for example, a mother who reads to her child twice a day for 20 minutes each time is taking a major step forward in education. Children are accustomed to spending time reading from an early age. They quickly understand the plot and begin to take an interest in it. They are able to choose books according to their mood. It goes without saying how much this develops the child\’s imagination, not to mention the vast vocabulary he or she acquires.
Children who are accustomed to regular reading often begin to speak much earlier and much better than other children their age.
Mothers who claim that their children do not want to be read to are wrong. It is not surprising, then, to think that if you suddenly start reading to your child at age 3 and try to get him to pay attention while you read, he will not be interested.
Therefore, it is recommended that children be read to from the first day of life. Children must be encouraged to read and parents must set an example.
It is also our opinion that books should always be bought regularly, whether for birthdays, Christmas, holidays, or other celebrations. Children should know that books are part of their daily lives.
We also recommend taking the child to the town library as early as age 3 and establishing a children\’s account. The child will learn the rules of library borrowing and, moreover, will be able to choose books that he or she would not yet buy at home. Then, seeing how much they enjoy that book at home, they will eventually purchase it for their own collection as well. [It is up to us parents to determine what kind of relationship our children will have with reading and books.