Does a love of reading always guarantee a higher level of achievement? To help your kids enjoy a great start in life, it’s more important to cultivate their interest in reading rather than blindly pushing them to chase good grades. One of the best ways to help your kid become an avid reader is to help them develop a deep love of reading.
With a PhD in education from Stanford University, Dr. Agnes Chan suggests spending quality time with your kids and reading with them for at least 10 minutes1 every day – the idea is to make them fall in love with reading.
Having the power to establish positive life values and promote creative thinking, a good book could potentially change a child’s life for good. Even Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, insists on reading 50 books a year despite his busy work schedule. He believes that we should make every book we read our own asset, and that reading has the power to lead us to success.
Nothing better than reading a book they love
While a lot of parents spend a fortune on tutorial classes and supplementary exercises to boost their kids’ academic results, many of them overlook the importance of choosing a good book for them to read. Children are not exam machines, and parents should invest in books that their kids love to read (based on their interests and abilities) so they can enjoy the pleasure and inspiration that come with it.
Every kid reads differently – some enjoy reading a book they love over and over again – and parents should learn to respect their choices.
Dr. Chan also suggests that, if their children like reading story books or reference books, parents should encourage their kids to also read the original work to appreciate the author’s style of writing2.
Let their interest lead the way
The best time for children to read is when they are in elementary school. Many studies have shown that the size of your book collection at home directly affects your kids’ interest in reading. If there aren’t enough books at home, they are less likely to have a strong passion for reading.
Helping their kids develop a passion for reading is a huge challenge for most parents. First of all, parents should spend quality time with their kids and read with them for at least 10 minutes every day. The idea is to make kids fall in love with reading, and help them establish a library of knowledge they can use in the future.
Reading is not a competition
Parents should never compare their kids to others when it comes to reading. The number of books they read should not be used as a measure of their abilities. The more parents try to compare, the less confident the kid will become. It’s important for children to learn for themselves. Just let them experience the joy of reading!
"Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude." Parents should encourage young kids to develop an interest towards reading and turn it into a habit. It’s like giving them a pair of wings to pursue their dreams.
Knowledge can enrich your kids’ lives and, as parents, you can do your part by investing in the right insurance package and financial planning arrangements to have your family assets properly managed, giving your kids the ideal life they deserve.
Sources:
1&2 Article from Sky Post -「陳美齡推介：每日10分鐘優質親子閱讀時間 為孩子帶來意想不到的快樂」
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