Newbie Blogger Spotlight No.6

Hello friends! It may be Blogtober but it’s a Wednesday so today I bring you the latest instalment of the Newbie Blogger Spotlight! The Newbie Blogger Spotlight is a feature I have on my blog weekly where I share a guest post from a lovely newbie blogger. They will be talking about why they got into blogging, what they enjoy about it and whatever else they’d like to share. I hope you’re all lovely to these bloggers and go and check them out, let’s spread the blogging love! Remember how you felt when you were first starting out.

This week’s post is Why Reading as Children is Important by @Bibliophagist90, who blogs at thebibliophagist.blog! Her design is absolutely beautiful so definitely go and check it out.

Reading as Children…Why it is Important

It is often said that reading is vital during childhood, but we are not always told why. Let me begin by telling you a little about my history with reading. I do not remember my parents reading to me on a regular basis but I do remember the first time I really become an avid reader. My favorite book as a child was a little golden book, The Pokey Little Puppy. I have no idea how many times I read that book, I just knew that I loved reading. As I grew, I lived in the library…not literally of course, though that would have been amazing! My dad eventually realized my love of reading and I began getting at least one book every Christmas. I continued to bury my nose in any book I could get my hands on, to the point that I began getting into trouble. I would get yelled at by my father for reading when I had not completed my chores yet. I was actually caught reading in classes multiple times. If you think the teacher cannot see the book on your lap in your desk…WRONG! The only real negative I experienced reading was when my books were taken away as a punishment for something I had done wrong. Books should never be taken away as punishment. The same goes for those who do not enjoy reading…do not force a child to read as punishment, it will only make them despise reading. You might very well be the reason the never pick up a book again.

What you now all know is that I have an addiction to books and it has only continued to grow as I got older. Admitting your problem is the first step, right?! Well what you do not see here are the benefits I have seen throughout my life that all began with reading as a child. Let’s explore some benefits of reading in childhood.

1) Cognitive Development

Reading is more that saying the words on the pages out loud. It helps a child’s imagination and creativity grow and develop. It even supports problem solving skills and logical thinking. As they read they learn to predict what will happen next, imagine ways to solve the problem, etc. As a child, I always loved when I was able to predict an ending of a book or come up with a solution to a problem characters are experiencing. I know my older son gets so excited when he predicts what will happen and he find he was correct. My 7-year-old is in second grade. I have read to him since before he was born, yes, I was that mom. I actually read my college text books to him while I did homework. He reads at an almost fifth-grade level. Now, his comprehension is only at a third-grade level, but he is well above the standard for his age. I think much of this is due to reading his entire life and me reading to him.

2) Encourages a Thirst for Knowledge

The more a child reads or is read to, the more they learn. Just listening to a story and following along with the pictures is a way of teaching them. We really take for granted how intelligent children are and what they learn just by listening and watching. As they continue to learn new things, they begin to understand basic concepts and make link between things. Ultimately, the more they know and understand, the more intelligent they become. Showing support in reading shows them you support their thirst for knowledge and from there they will continue to learn and grow. As a child, I would come across something as simple as a new animal I did not know about. From there I wanted to know all about that animal. So, what did I do? Get some more books about that animal of course! To this day, I still do that. It is a cycle that continues throughout their entire lives!

3) Develops Empathy

Have you ever read a story and really connected with a character, felt what they did? Children do the same thing. Reading can help them to develop empathy, which in my opinion, is something more people need to learn these days. Give your children a chance to become a caring, empathetic person, the person we all need today.

4) Creates a bond

Reading with your child curled in your lap is such a special moment. I can say that because I did that with my older son and now with my youngest. Even at age 7, my oldest loves when I read to him. It helps build a special bond. After all, it is the small things that we remember when we grow up, the special moments.

5) Develops Language Skills

A child hearing their parent read to them helps them to develop their own language skills. They learn from listening and imitating sounds. When they begin to talk, they can start to sound out words or identify images in the book. From my experience as a parent, children who read more often seem to speak quicker and more fluently.

6) Stress Relief

So, I am going to get a little personal here. Don’t get me wrong I loved my dad (RIP) but we did not have the best relationship. I was physically and emotionally abused by him until his passing in 2008. Life was so hard for me. I was your average girl next door, smart student, perfect attendance…but that did not matter. I was bullied in school and went home to an abusive father. At times, life felt unbearable but I always had one thing to turn to…books. When a child sits to read a book, just as an adult, they escape the stress of life. They dive into a new world as a new person.

Being a child is tough, trying to fit in and find who you really are. And let’s be honest, as children we don’t really want to talk to our parents. Reading can take away some of that, help bring peace of mind. It can help us to not feel so alone.

At times, I think that reading might have been the only reason I pulled through so many of the things I did. For that reason, reading will always hold a special place in my heart.

Now, we all know reading is entertaining but children might not always think so! We have to make sure books are always available and accessible, set an example by reading ourselves, be sure to go to the library as often as you can, and make reading fun. Maybe get some snacks together like you are going to watch a movie but read instead. Take turns choosing characters to read and make funny voices. Remember, reading from an early age can set a child up for life.

Thank you so much Cassandra!

I hope you enjoyed this post, I’m really loving this feature. I’m generally booked up until the end of the year but if you’re interested in featuring let me know and I’ll keep you on the list when I have spaces!

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