Why Reading Helps Children

There are so many benefits of parents reading to their child, that Behaviour Analysts feel are often not highlighted enough. This article shines a light on each one, & underlines the positives of parents incorporating books & reading into their parenting approach, so that their child develops a positive association with books in their childhood, so that it is more likely that this positive association will stay with the child into their adult life too.

Behaviour Therapists point out that parents reading to their child from their early years, helps that child to develop a positive association with reading. This in turn tends to lead to the child learning new words, expanding their vocabulary, & more likely to be a good reader & be better at spelling than peers who don’t enjoy reading. In addition to this, they are more likely to have a better grasp of grammar & punctuation also, due to being exposed to grammar & punctuation on a more regular basis than a child who only reads when using textbooks in the school setting.

When a parent regularly reads to a child from when they are small, this connection where the child has the parents attention all to themselves, where they are sitting on the parents knee being read to & relaxing, all contributes to strengthening the bond between the parent & the child. Studies in the field of Behaviour Analysis show that this quality, one-to-one time between the child & parent, reduces the chance of the child attention-seeking through negative means, as the parent is providing them with attention through positive means.

Child Therapists recommend that parents try to develop a positive association between their child & reading, as it
helps spark the child’s imagination, while it also creates a healthy escape for the child so that they can use it to relax & unwind. As alternatively, screens such as TV, iPads, Phones, the Xbox, etc., tend to be the go-to objects when children are having some downtime. It is well known the negative effects of too much screentime on child behaviour, such as the child presenting with behaviour challenges such as sibling rivalry when playing computer games, difficulty managing anger when losing computer games or when told their screentime has come to an end, which can lead to tantrums & outbursts. This is why, when a child enjoys reading, it offers them a much more positive alternative than choosing screens all the time.


To Book An In-Person Consultation In County Donegal, Or A Zoom Appointment Anywhere Across Ireland Or Further Afield To Get Help Managing Your Child’s Behaviour:

Call: 00353 89 451 1432
Or
E-mail: thechildbehaviourconsultancy@outlook.ie

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