The Preschool Times

This week we return to our series on helping your child learn to read by our guest author Sharon Alm.

I hope you and your child have settled into the bedtime reading routine.  Isn’t it fun to watch the excitement….the settling-in for a good story time?  You will remember these reading times of closeness for a long time, even though the age and size of your child changes quickly.  The books will change, as well.

About 15-20 minutes each evening is enough time to get your child relaxed and ready for sleeping. Perhaps a special blanket or “lovey” is comforting while listening to you read, too.  Daddy or Grandma might be the reader after bedtime reading is part of your child’s routine. Great!   Perhaps some nights must have a shortened reading time, for whatever reasons.  That’s ok, tool

I hope you’ve found that  “board books” are great for the grabbing, throwing, and carrying phases of your child’s growth.  Cloth books are softer for hugging, and “gumming” or chewing.  Books are very adaptable to your child’s growth phases.

As your child begins to learn the word “no” (or your choice of a restraining or objecting

word), trade the word-of-choice to “gentle or gently” with regard to books. Reading books should not be associated with “no.”

Caring for books is also something to be taught and regarded as important before getting to the paper-paged books.  A special shelf, table, or basket for books will show your child that you respect books and that you are careful in putting them away after each reading time.

Remember, your modeling is important in all areas of presenting the world to your child.  Whatever your choices for discipline, manners, expectations at home and away from home, be consistent.  Use the same vocabulary words and actions modeled by you and taught to your child, each time.  Remember, your child is secure with the same things happening in his/her life.  This is the time to do the groundwork.  Teaching flexibility with rules and routines will come later—after the routines are clearly established and are his/her normal life.

As your reading expands, share your local library with your child.  What fun it is to see all the colorful books—-and be able to take them home for a few days!  Library books should be regarded as special books.  You might designate a higher shelf for those books (and any other fragile pop-up books or gift books) that adults can reach for the child.  This simple location instills that these books need to be treated with tender loving care by adults and children.

Take your child to a story time at the library.  This is another experience he/she will enjoy when it’s not bedtime!  This new person with a new reading voice will be another great way to share books.  It’s also a socialization experience that will be fun, too!

Your child’s world is full of exciting experiences, things to see, places to visit, new faces to meet……and that special warm and cozy home to return to every night.

Peace & Light,

Grace