Reading and childhood

[Fran]

I have always encouraged my children to read. My son was a slow starter but with constant ( Nagging????) he has grasped the concept and has run with it. He is only 11 and his recent report card says" He is a cheerful student WHOSE LOVE OF READING has assisted him in achieving excellent results in each week spelling test". That warms my heart.

Great to read that .... you tell him everyone on the Forums is cheering for him

[primrose777]

I certainly will , thanks Fran.

[creynier]

Do You think people who like to read because they read or were read to in early childhood? I think being introduced to reading and books in early childhood has alot to do with how much a person likes to read. I read to my children alot and they have their rooms filled with books but will that make them like to read or want to? What do you think ? Does early childhood reading have a part in why a person does or doesn't like to read??

I cannot agree more that we all should read to our children, but I have to say, I did not read much as a child and now I feel as if I lost so much precious reading time that I am trying to catch up and reading all the books I can old and new. I love books, and it was a love that grew all by itself.

[min]

I read to both my kids- they are 4 and 5. My 4 year old LOVES anything to do with books, while my 5 year old loses interest quickly. Oddly, the 4 year old is the boy and the 5 year old is the girl! I know that he sees me reading all of the time, and he is definitely a Mama's boy, so it is in part imitation (referring to the psychological conversation in the beginning of the thread). But at the same time I think he also sees why he likes to do it himself, so in turn, he is finding his own pleasure from reading.

My mom absolutely never read to us, or was caught reading a book. I was surprised the other day when I saw her pick up a random book and try to read (didn't last long). I have 6 brothers and out of the 7 of us, I am the only one who reads and the only girl. I started reading to escape reality which I did with video games in high school and my brothers have continued to do.

I think parents have some sort of influence on their children and whether or not they will love to read or not, but not entirely. I would say encourage them to read, but don't ever force it- more often than not, people don't read because being assigned books in school ruined it for them. Taking away the choice and forcing them to do it. No one likes to be told to do anything. (Except I loved getting assigned books, since those are some of my favorites and I had already read them! haha)

[katarina66]

I read A LOT. when I was young (get out the violins here) We were dirt poor and we only had two books in the house. the bible and Alice and Wonderland.
When I was ten, we moved from a remote island to the town where i joined a library. From then on Enid Bython became my heroine. I think i must have read every book she ever wrote.

[dkdai64]

In childhood everyone has to read and keep in the mind even they don't know the meaning but in childhood reading is really very important .