You can “go places” you never dreamed of, “meet people” you never thought about, “learn skills” you never practiced before, reduce your stress level, sleep better, advance your career, grow your imagination, enhance your sense of discovery and build impenetrable bonds with others — by reading.
It starts young for most, but motivated teens and adults can improve reading skills and come to immensely enjoy books, magazines and newspapers in print. The tangible factor offers additional touch, feel and control sensations, and eliminates negative effects of screen time.
According to one survey, print books outsell e-books by four to one. A Pew Research Study reports that print books remain the most popular format for reading and other studies show that comprehension and retention are stronger from print pages.
“Few things are more important for a child than to discover the joy of reading. Parents who make reading attractive contribute immeasurably to their children’s intellectual, emotional and spiritual development,” writes Frank E. Gaebelein, author and founding headmaster of The Stony Brook School in New York, in his Introduction to the book Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt. The book is an amazing blueprint of reading to and for children at different ages through 14. There is discussion with suggestions for picture books, animal books, classics, poetry, fantasy, historical fiction, adventure and more.
The benefits of reading to babies includes enhancing the parent-child bond. The closeness, cuddling and sound of a parent’s voice offer love, security and a sense of safety. Reader expressions in voice and face can teach emotions like astonishment, joy and concern, along with what will develop into critical thinking skills. Young children learn from repetition, so you don’t even need many books.
“A parent should not panic or be discouraged if their children do not display a love of reading at an early age,” explains Blacksburg resident and former librarian Lynnette Conder. “Sometimes it takes the right genre to spark an interest. For me, it was the discovery of Louis L’Amour westerns at age 13. I couldn’t get enough of them. That developed into a love for adventure classics like The Three Musketeers. Soon I was reading books like Rebecca and Watership Down. I’ve loved reading ever since.”
One study found that the presence of a home library “increases children’s academic success, vocabulary development, attention and job attainment.” According to Joanna Sikora, the lead researcher: “Adolescent exposure to books is an integral part of social practices that foster long-term cognitive competencies.” Understand that a “home library” can consist of a dozen books checked out from the public library with a sprinkling of free and used books. Basically, reading is free.
Baby to ‘Tween
Most all children love to have books read to them, in part for the attention. Time is one of life’s greatest gifts, and adults who read to children are gifting the young ones socially and intellectually. Children’s books are loaded with pictures, color and texture. Board books are great for small hands. Turning pages strengthens arm, hand and finger manipulation and hand-eye coordination.
“Public libraries have story times and summer reading programs for kids of all ages,” Conder relates. “Apps like Readeo help grandparents and other loved ones read remotely with children and close the gap that long distance separations create.”
When youngsters begin to read, they often want to change places and, with great pride and self-satisfaction, read to the parent or adult. Lessons here in sounding out words, learning new words and following a story line are valuable in developing a comprehensive approach to moving through a book (or a class or project or challenge later) from beginning to end. Perseverance, endurance and patience are mixed in with curiosity and imagination.
Teen and Young Adult
There are many attractions at this stage of life that vie for attention, but reading can sweep youth away in a healthy diversion or serve to teach new skills, new recipes, new interests. If they no longer want to be read to, and they don’t embrace reading to someone else, a little home book club might be the answer. They read the same book(s) as a parent, friend and/or family member and hold discussions around the kitchen table.
“Joining teenagers in reading books on a required summer reading list or during school is a great way to connect with them,” Conder states. “It also keeps parents informed about what their children are reading about and learning in school. It could lead parents who don’t often read to develop their own love of reading!”
Print magazine and trade newspaper subscriptions offer the gift that keeps on giving all year. It’s exciting to get snail mail, and with topics from tennis, photography, travel and cooking to animals, sports, fashion, adventure, hobbies, home style and more, it’s easy to find the perfect match to someone’s interests.
The Reading Life
for Grown-ups
News flash: There are many more enjoyable things to read than the warnings and instructions to a new gadget or pages of assembly directions for your kid’s longed-for birthday or Christmas gift.
Like walking is one of the best things you can do for your body, reading might well be one of the best things you can do for your mind. And both are free. Public libraries are constantly adding to their collections, bringing in current best sellers, permitting magazines to be checked out and increasing the children’s selections. There are many Little Free Libraries with the take a book, leave a book intention. However, you can just leave a book or just take a book.
The horse and buggy, cassette tapes, telephone booths and typewriters may have been replaced across the decades, but books are here to stay. As Walt Disney phrased it:
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.
You can “go places” you never dreamed of, “meet people” you never thought about, “learn skills” you never practiced before, reduce your stress level, sleep better, advance your career, grow your imagination, enhance your sense of discovery and build impenetrable bonds with others — by reading.
