FAQ

“Am I the only one finding this hard?”

No, you are not.
Lots of parents and carers can find it challenging to read to young children, for lots of reasons.
Time can be a barrier. Most parents and carers find it hard to fit everything into the day, especially with very young children, when sleep times and eating times are hard to plan and predict.
Time in each day is limited, so try to make reading together a part of your bedtime routine. Just 10 minutes before bed will make a big difference.
Also, lots of parents are just too tired to sit down and read. With lack of sleep, never-ending housework and heavy work demands, it’s hard to find the energy to focus on a picture book.
If this sounds like you, grab a big pile of books and give your child 10 minutes to select one (or two). They will explore the pictures very, very carefully…and you will get 10 minutes to yourself. Then they will very proudly present their selection and, voila, you have a book at the ready to send you both off to sleep.
Sometimes, it can be the child who finds reading difficult. When children resist reading together, or struggle to focus, it can be an early warning sign for parents and carers.
In her book Wild Things, children’s author Sally Rippin describes how reading with her young son revealed his learning difficulties early. It was the start of a long journey with ADHD and other challenges.
On the other hand, some children aren’t attracted to books straight away. They will follow your lead, so keep trying with a routine that works for you.
Reading together can help you find out if your child needs extra help, and provides a way to show your child you will support them on their unique journey, no matter what that is.
“Why should I read to my kids?”

In short, reading is great for your children right now, and it’s also great for their future.
Reading to children long before they start school makes them healthier, happier and more ready for kinder and school. Reading helps them grow and helps them discover the amazing world we live in.
Plus, reading together makes them feel more connected to you.
That’s right – when you read to your children, it makes your relationship stronger. It helps to build connection, build trust, and lets you have fun together.
Reading together can help you tackle some parenting and behavioural challenges, too. Books can come to the rescue for parents who are stuck (which you can read about in ‘the Parenting in real time’ blog. It can change the mood in difficult moments It can actually give you a break from parenting too.
After a long day of battling toddler willpower and hearing ‘no’ from each other, try letting your child pick three books for bedtime reading. They will relish the feeling of being in control and you can let them lead, guilt-free.
“Isn’t it the job of teachers and childcare workers to help kids read? Why parents too?”

Yes, teaching children to read is definitely an important part of early learning centres, childcare, kinder and even playgroups.
But if you sat and watched early childhood educators for even a few minutes, you would see they are setting the foundations for children’s literacy – and mostly without a book in sight.
The foundations for children’s literacy don’t have much to do with picture books at all. In Australia, experts agree that children need ‘belonging, being and becoming’ in order to learn and to grow into healthy, happy people.
More than anything, young children need ‘trusting relationships and affirming experiences’ to feel they belong, and to discover, develop and grow.
In other words, children can’t learn to read (or learn anything else, really) until they have these foundations in place. (Indeed, Rudolf Steiner believed children need 7 years to get these and other building blocks in place, and should only come into the classroom after that!)
Obviously, parents and carers play a huge role in creating this foundation too. Parents and carers are actually busy creating this foundation all day long, in all they do for their children every day (and let’s face it, often every night too).
When parents and carers read to children, they are making the foundations extra strong for literacy and lifelong learning. And probably feeling a bit closer to their children too.
“My kid never sits still – and it drives me crazy – so why should I force them to sit and read?”

It’s true! In their first five years, children are generally either (1) moving, or (2) asleep.
Constant movement is actually pretty important for kids and it’s natural – especially for under-3s. Running, jumping, rolling, twisting and wriggling are all signs of a healthy, growing, inquisitive child.
But that can make it feel impossible to concentrate – for you, and for them.
Somehow, picture books have a magical power to make kids stop, listen and look with wide eyes. (Well, some kids anyway, and maybe only sometimes).
Children’s books are designed to enchant and to fascinate even the wildest little creatures. Most people agree that children are a tough audience, but picture books have it all figured out.
It’s important to pick your reading moment carefully. Try to show you are genuinely curious about what is inside the book – make it clear you are not punishing the kid by reading to them or begging them to sit still.
Pulling out a picture book can also be a great way to change the mood. Reading together can calm things right down, even after a big meltdown.
In the pre-dinner (or pre-breakfast) chaos, or in the weary bedtime marathon, spending just ten minutes reading together can give everyone a break.
Treat yourself to a little island of calm and togetherness in the storm of a long parenting day.

"I don’t like reading myself, so I probably won’t enjoy reading to my kids - right?"

You don’t need to love reading to do this.
Adult reading is different. It’s a different experience, with different texts and different motivators and benefits. And it’s generally something you do alone.
Reading with your children is about being together.
Your child will benefit from reading with you. Even more if they believe you are enjoying it.
It is not essential to love reading in order to read with your children. But don’t be surprised if picture books make you more interested. That’s their magic.
"English is not my first language. Will that make it confusing for my child?"

No, not at all. Children who grow up in households with more than one language being spoken have a great advantage.
They will enjoy hearing you read books in your most comfortable language, because they will experience you being relaxed and happy.
They will also enjoy hearing you read in English (or any other second language) because the picture books are written at children’s level.
You can perhaps laugh together at the tricky words, and discover their meaning together.
I have often pretended not to know a word, then asked my child to describe it to me. They feel very grown-up providing an explanation – even if it’s wrong – and then you enjoy what feels like a moment of discovery together (even if it’s not really discovery for you).
Lots of libraries in Melbourne have picture books in multiple languages. Many libraries also have storytimes in multiple languages.
If that’s all too much, put the books aside and tell them your own stories. Or a story you make up on the spot. Or a story your elders told you. They will love it.
In summary, the language doesn’t matter as much as the child’s feeling of being connected to you. That’s the most important thing. Reading together makes them feel close to you, which means ‘love’ in any language.
“Isn’t exercise and playing outside more important than reading for young children?”

Yes, fresh air and physical movement are incredibly important for young children. And sometimes it’s hard to fit everything into the limited hours of our busy lives.
But it turns out that reading every day is just as important as playing outside and eating healthy food.
For children under 5, some experts recommend up to 3 hours of physical exercise every day to build healthy bodies – that means running, jumping, dancing, skipping, maybe even rolling and probably a bit of chasing.
And we all know children need the right amount of fruits and vegies, and other food groups throughout the day. It’s why we all suffer so much at the dinner table. Just before we make sure they brush their teeth, or help them with many other healthy habits.
Reading together every day is another way you can help your child grow and be healthy. Try making it part of your daily routine, just like brushing teeth and eating fruit…but probably a lot more fun.

FAQ

Popular Questions