Once upon a time, there was a child to whom, every night, Mom and Dad told magical stories. His dreams were veiled by fairies, elves and elves who accompanied him on many adventures while he slept. When he woke up, the boy smiled recalling the exploits lived during the night, eager for the day to end to share that special moment with mom and dad again. Over time, the boy grew and with him the passion for reading that from a very young age he had enjoyed with his parents. Those moments have been forever etched in his heart And, today, she continues to live fantastic adventures every night with her children.
There is no doubt that the love of reading is one of the most valuable gifts we can give our children. Through it we acquire knowledge, develop imagination, improve our understanding and expand our vocabulary. All mothers and fathers want our children to love reading, since we are aware of the benefits that this entails. And what better way to encourage this habit than to enjoy a family reading moment every night?
Benefits of reading stories to your children at night
Share some time with the family
Our day to day is usually full of schedules, rush and stress. Our children often spend many hours without us. Even though we are with them, the obligations and daily routines mean that we do not offer them quality time. Reading a story before going to sleep allows us enjoy a moment of intimacy and connection as a family.
Strengthen the bond
Reading a story every night generates a special routine that makes that moment eagerly awaited. As adults, we often do not have the time we would like to be with our children. Therefore, that little bit of family reading is a great occasion to reinforce the bond and complicity with our children.
The love of reading is fostered
Our children are our mirror. There is no greater teaching than what we offer you with our example. If we want them to love reading, we must begin by transmitting that love to them. And what better way to do it than to turn it into something exciting and fun? Through the stories and our hand, children will learn to feel reading as a stimulating and pleasant moment.
Develop imagination and creativity
A story is a window open to a multitude of thoughts, emotions or alternative endings. Through reading, the child forms a mental image of the landscapes, situations, sensations or appearance of the characters, giving free rein to his imagination.
Attention and memory are enhanced
Being in a relaxed and distraction-free environment, the child focuses all its attention on the development of the story and on remembering the exploits of its protagonists. Your concentration and memory will thus be strengthened.
They transmit values
In stories, children learn to easily identify the hero, the villain, or inappropriate behaviors. Plus also Values such as friendship, solidarity, patience or generosity are worked on.
Helps to relax and sleep better
A story told in a low voice, listen to mom or dad and feel them close, the dim light,…. All this brings you safety and comfort to the child helping him to feel more relaxed and to have a more pleasant sleep.
Improve understanding, communication and vocabulary
Through reading the child learns new words and expressions. Your curiosity will be aroused and you will learn to ask yourself questions and seek answers. In this way increase your vocabulary and improve your communication and comprehension skills.
Help them get to know themselves better
Children often identify with the characters and situations in the stories we tell them. Sometimes they will identify with the hero's exploits, which will help improve their self-esteem. But other times they may identify with characters who express emotions that are not socially accepted, such as envy or anger. Thus, the child will understand that he is not the only one to experience these feelings and he will learn to accept himself with his lights and his shadows.
For all this and much more, do not forget to reserve a little time at night to read a story to your children. Not only will you fill their lives with magic and adventure, but you will be investing in their learning and fostering a love of reading. In addition, that moment of intimacy and exclusivity with mom and dad will be a memory that they will treasure for the rest of their lives.
Happy Book Day!