Naturally, we all want to provide the best opportunities and advantages for our children. We enroll them in extracurricular activities and programs, learn more about their teachers and schools to ensure they’re receiving the best available education, and try to provide all the encouragement and help possible to make sure they believe in their own potential and success. But they’re time reading with parents can be of the utmost importance for their lifelong development!

But helping our children sometimes means we need to focus on how we can best teach our children through daily activities. One of the best places to start, that will undoubtedly lead to a great lifelong habit, is reading before bed time.

I know what you’re thinking, “but we already read at home, what’s the difference?”

Reading at home is a great start and habit to get into, but how you’re reading and the quality of the experience are just as important to how our children perceive reading and the effectiveness of our shared time.

Here are our four tips to help you establish improved quality of reading time so your child gets the most out of your time together.

1. Focus On Your Rate: Reading and stories are an adventure, not a race. The quality of the words you say to your children matters just as much as the quantity. Remember, pausing for punctuation and slowing down is important as you don’t want to develop poor habits in your children that will have them reading, but not necessarily retaining to gain information.
2. Use Tone and Inflection: As adults we know it’s difficult to pay attention to someone when their voice is flat and has no inflection, simply varying your tone and adding a little emotion can make all the difference to your child’s comprehension and experience reading with you before bed.
3. Interact While Reading: Generally, no one likes being a passive audience or attendee. It makes everything from shows and sporting events to reading a less exciting affair, and it makes you feel more distant from the activity and those performing it as well. That’s why little tricks like asking questions and engaging your child makes a huge difference. It reinforces your child’s ability to engage in the reading activity and it keeps them interested while advancing their education. Asking your child questions increases their ability to understand the story, and make predictions or draw conclusions about what might happen. measures their understanding and helps with processes like categorization, identification and so much more!
4. Reading Without Distractions: Just like driving, the best of your abilities is going to diminish if you’re distracted, and unfortunately, it’s all too common in the household after a long day at work or school. That’s why it’s important to set ground rules and schedules about when reading will take place, and how the family as a whole will stop distractions. So right before bed, is the best time to unwind and unplug from electronics, turn off the TVs, put up the toys and settle in together with a nice book. You’re bound to face a little resistance, but once it’s an established pattern you and your child will both be rushing to reading time. The best part is, you’re actually setting them up for future success in their academic career, professional career, and lifelong skills and habits.

Work in these four subtle tips to your daily routine, and you and your children will soon be enjoying the adventure of reading and exploring faraway fictional places and characters, all the while spending time together and progressing their tools and skills for a successful future.

If you’re wanting more tips and professional help, then find a passionate, dedicated professionals like the staff at Greater Learning LP. We’re here for you and your family in your journey toward healthier living.

Visit www.greaterlearninglp.com or call 210.349.1415 to start investing in your child’s future today.