I hate reading part 1

It breaks my heart when I hear kids say they hate reading. I feel sorry for them. Reading rocks my face off. I could go on and on about the exciting escape that is reading. But it does not matter. The damage has already been done. It is reversible, have no fear, but it is much easier to avoid altogether than to reinvent. Here is my first confession: I totally understand why these kids hate reading. If all I ever knew of stories were boring baby storybooks with a word or two per page, I would hate reading too. If all I had experienced in the classroom was a multiple choice assessment of what a story meant, I too would run from books. If the only novels that ever graced my presence were the ones some teacher told me to read, my love of reading might also have been squelched. Reading is an experience. It is not a mechanical process. It is not measurable. And it is not one size fits all. That being said, there are key factors that lead to the dreaded proclamation, "I hate reading." If you are one of these adults. I get it. I wish I could find the source of your reading torture (crappy books, a mean teacher, an uninvolved or unaware parent)and mind erase that junk from your brain. If only I had one of those cool light sticks from Men in Black. Alas. Anyway, I digress... 1. As a young child-- baby, preschooler, early elementary-- no one read to this sweet little soul. I double dog dare you to research the impact reading aloud to your child has on his future success. It will blow your mind. It will cause you to sell a kidney in order to buy more books for your home. If you are a new parent, forget about Toys R Us and IPad apps and DS's and a myriad of technology that promises to rocket launch your child into Harvard. Go old school. Buy books. I know you think I am on drugs, but I assure you the research is out there. Reading to your child is the single most important factor in the success of your child. The younger you start and the more you do it, the greater the impact. If you do nothing else as a new parent, read to your kid. Even if you are like my husband and hate reading, taking a cue from Nike and just do it. Even if you would rather tattoo your own face than cuddle up with a book, read to your littles. More on this later, but for now just trust me. K? Why is reading to your child so important? Besides the fact that it is good old fashioned fun together, there are two other reasons time spent between the pages is well worth it. One, your kid can go on grand adventures. I do not suggest reading boring "educational" books to kids. Snooze alert. Can they be a part of your library, sure. But the kind of books you will both enjoy have some magic to them. Look for reviews of books on this site soon. I only have so much time, people. Choose books that do not bore you as the parent, and your child is likely to also get captivated by the tale. No lame books! Two, your little is amassing a vocabulary. This is the main touch point for how impactful reading to your child is. The moneyshot if you will. The more words your kid hears in his childhood, the easier it is to learn them later. He is not fumbling over the sound of say, "delightful," because he has heard it before. It is not so foreign, and therefore not so frustrating. This makes learning to read and write easier for your child. Words are currency. You kid can buy a whole lot more with $20,000 than with $20. Children who are rarely or never read to have a teeny tiny little piggy bank of words. When a school assignment needs him to pull from this bank, you can see who will have an easier time. It is a snowball effect. The kid with little words is slower to read. Slower to write. The class keeps on moving but she is bogged down. The further and further this poor child gets every year because without a Swiss Bank account of words, the mountain of material keeps growing. So, if you are still with me and want to help your child thrive, I want you to say a four letter word. R-E-A-D. Good, fun, engaging stories. Ones even those who hate reading can at least tolerate for the sake of his child. Gift your little with adventures, funny characters, clever turns, secrets. And in the process of snuggling up at bedtime and tapping into your inner bookworm, you will be making a deposit in the word bank that will produce dividends down the road, I promise. Start reading to your baby and never stop.