How Important is Reading with your Grandchildren?

Reading is fundamental to a child′s success in school and it is important for parents to read with their children and to have their children see them read. It′s also important to make books, magazines and newspapers available for reading in the home. However, for a grandparent, reading with grandchildren is important for more than just those reasons.

1. Reading Time is Quality Time

Your grandchildren are important to you and you want to be a positive influence on their lives. Being together means more than just being in the same room or house. It means doing things together, things that will teach them as well as entertain them. When you read to your grandchildren, they know they have your undivided attention and that′s important to them.

2. Reading is Sharing Experience

When you read a favorite book of yours – or theirs – to your grandchildren, you are sharing experiences that will form a bond between you for the rest of your lives. Reading favorite stories together gives you a common point of reference you can build on as the years pass. Stories with morals and stories that demonstrate problem solving will serve as a guide during the child′s teen years too.

3. Reading Together Demonstrates Reading′s Importance

When you choose to spend time reading with your grandchildren, it lets them know that you enjoy reading and consider it important. While you′re reading, you′re sending your grandchild the message: this is a fun way to spend time. This means they are more likely to pick up a book and read it on their own later on.

4. Reading Creates Routine

Reading a story at nap time or at bed time creates routine and children find routine comforting. When your grandchildren visit, set a regular reading time for them. Reading together is cozy and calming, a defense against boredom, homesickness and many other ills.

5. Reading Creates Success at School

Reading to and with children is the best thing you can do to help them be successful in every subject all through their school years. It gives children the biggest step forward possible, so don′t just sit there and worry about whether the parents have time to read to the kids. Do it yourself. The more people reading to a child, the better.

6. Reading Stimulates Creativity

Children are naturally creative and you don′t want them to lose their creativity as they get older. Reading stories and looking at the pictures stimulates a child′s imagination and gets their own creative juices flowing. Stories about other children who do things, make things and have adventures is inspiring to young readers.
There are a lot of reasons to read with your grandchildren, but one of the main ones is – it is fun! So don′t lose another minute. Get the storybooks out and get started. Mix and match stories you read when you were young, stories you read to your grandchild′s parents, and new stories your grandchild has heard about at school or from their friends.