Parenting Series (3/5) - Simple tips to cultivate a lifetime Reading Habit

In general, there is a growing consensus about the phenomenon of declining reading habits in today's society. In UK, Nielsen Book had conducted a survey (year 2013) on 2,000 children & parents. The data revealed a 28% increase of non-readers. Though the sample size is small & the study is localized to one country, it still serves as an indicator towards today's global trend - 'increase of digital entertainment, which is eating up the book reading space'.

Reading books has various benefits ranging from intellectual development, stronger skills (analytical, communication, writing, language), exposure to wide array of subjects & serves as a relaxation technique. If reading habit is not inculcated early on, development of these important skills & attributes can be seriously dented.

The cultivation of a lifetime reading habit in a child, can be achieved by consciously practicing the following simple tips:

• Reading Log is an effective tool for the following reasons:

1. Facilitates goal setting
2. Reading log provides a tangible outcome, hence facilitates monitoring (self or parental)
3. Facilitates positive reinforcements (rewards/appreciation), based on target/milestones
4. Facilitates social recognition, if reading logs are shared periodically with friends, teachers etc
5. Visualising successful accomplishments of goals, enhances self-confidence & self-esteem
6. Provides insights to types of books, choice of books (liking) of the reader

Below is a reading log template, I use for my child. One can customise it, to suit their style & need.

Dates	Book	Author	Fiction/Non-fiction etc	Category (Novel/Short stories etc)	Page no. read	Publisher

• Role modeling: as parents, we have to position ourselves as a good role model. When our children see us reading, they tend to learn from us through observation.

• Creating a reading environment: as parents, we can incorporate books into our lifestyle. For example: personal collection of books at home, daily ritual of reading books, discussion about books in family conversation etc.

• Experiential learning: as parents, we can generate interest of books among our children through occasional visit of book stores, book fairs & literary festivals. Participation in book clubs, library membership are effective measures for developing interests in books.

As parents (guardians, teachers) our primary duty is to generate a spark of interest (motivation) towards books in our children. Only if the motivation is intrinsic (self-driven), the reading habit will be sustainable & life-long. Hence our approach towards cultivating reading habit, should be empathetic, reasonable, age & interest appropriate. We should exhibit patience & not trading off long-term gains over short-term outcomes. The key is to instill willful reading & making the reading experience pleasurable for our children, through the above mentioned tactical approaches.

Happy reading to all!

References:
CBR - Computer Business Review - Children's reading habit on decline (27-Sep-2013)
Image courtesy - habitsforhappiness.com