Why It Is So Important To Encourage Your Child To Read

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”

I am a bonafide bookworm, I love books and I always want more books. No, I don't just horde books, I read them cover to cover and sometimes numerous times. I live them, breathe them, and dream of them. The characters infuse my mind and captivate my soul. Traveling to different timelines, worlds loves, and losses, I adore being transported by a book where I am able to leave my present world behind, at least for a while.

Life is hard and this world we live in just got harder with the pandemic halting all parts of normality. Things we once took for granted like walking maskless all the time, kids being able to play freely, and us as adults being able to just be spontaneous like going clubbing or bar hopping. We now got to think of all sorts of variables like will there be capacity protocols enforced, are there protocols in place for our personal safety too, and do we have enough sanitizer to spray the room(sorry, that is just me projecting).

Reading has become even more of a sport now for me, where I get to escape for a while and live freely(in my mind, at least). Teaching my kids to do the same is so important to me, I want them to appreciate the art of switching off from reality, for a short time, to recharge their young and fragile minds. Things are overwhelming for them, they living in a world we don't know and are adjusting just like us. We, as adults, are struggling, Can you even begin to imagine what it is like for these kids?

They are having to wear masks almost 24/7 while trying to learn from teachers they can barely hear because the teacher's voices are muffled. My son confided to me the other day how he misses break times when they were able to run and play with their classmates also how he misses having his friends just come over randomly. My teen daughter complains her mask makes her breakout and now she has becomes so dependent on her mask that she uses it to hide her face. This world has become so mundane and dark, is there any wonder our kids are so glum, so dejected?

Teaching them to reach for a book instead of technology has become my life's mission and purpose but is no easy feat. These millennials believe they miss out if they are not connected to the internet and in a way they are right. For in these modern times this method has become their outlet and connection to the outside world, much like it has become to us as adults. However, it is our job to help them moderate their tech time and encourage that beautiful organ called their brain to process effectively.

Our kiddies' brains are still developing and they need to get bored in order to generate the developing process of their brain called imagination. You see that is the thing with the tech, kids are never bored with it and yes, as a parent, I understand the need to just give them the darn phone so they can just leave us be and not ask 20 times for a snack. But here is the thing, it makes them lazy, and when they have the tech they don't want to play or go outside or exercise or pretty much do anything.

That attitude is not conducive to any sort of life, it doesn't teach them anything except to lay about and just be (although that sounds amazing, and if anyone is looking to pay me to do this then I'm in, just putting it out there).

Personal experience with my kids has taught me that if I don't actively do something about taking their tech away to give them a break then they will literally stay on it for hours on end. They get more withdrawn, more aggressive, more moody, and more gloomy the more time I allow them on tech. Yes, Getting them off tech is more stressful and takes more effort on my part, I won't lie but as a mom, that is part of my job and I take the knocks like I take my coffee (often).

Reading eases them and makes them come out of that dark place that these kids find themselves in. My daughter prefers fiction to hide in when she reads however my son (like his dad) prefers non-fiction to take the edge off from everyday woes. A good book is still a good book whether it is a dystopian world that allows you to see stars or a book about the stars, their composition, and the galaxy that hosts them. To each his own as long as the book holds your attention and that is my theory when it comes to getting my kids to read.

As long as it gets them to open a book then I'm good with whatever they want to read. We read together so that encourages family time too which is added bonus that I adore. If you wish to have something that appeals to your fussy kid then give my book a try, you can read together and then let them color in the pics. HAPPY Reading!