The befits of teaching you child to read cannot be over-estimated, so the earlier they get hooked on it the better.

A person who can read can communicate effectively with others, and access the legacy of written information left for us by others. A person who can read has the ability to navigate through life more easily, and has the unlimited entertainment within his grasp through literature, whether it be novels, poetry or plays.

The best way to get your kid hooked on reading is by finding fun ways of getting him or her to practice it.

Children are designed to learn new information - that's why they are always so inquisitive! It's the way the human race works, and why we've risen to the top of the animal kingdom. If you want to improve your child's reading, then all you need to do is to find a way to tap into this curiosity.

Children want to be like their heroes, and the first hero in their life is Mom or Dad. Let them see you reading. Instead of just reading something quickly in your head, say out loud "I wonder how long to cook this for? I'll just check on the packet." This will reinforce the fact that you read every day and let your child know how useful it is. Keep doing this to reinforce the fact that reading is necessary for everyday life.

Read with your child every day. This keeps the new letters or words he/she has learned in the front of his mind. Let your child read to you while he/she is comfortable, but help him/her out with the more difficult words. Struggling will only demoralize a child and make them wary of trying reading again. Your child's teacher should have given them a reading book appropriate to their level.

Buy your child magazines and books. Boys especially tend to respond to factual reading material rather than stories. It doesn't matter what the subject is, they will pick up the habit of reading to gain information - even from games guides! If you can't afford to buy lots of books, start a swap-shop with some other Moms.

Read movie and tv tie-in books. Knowing the story already will help a child to anticipate some of the words, and they can concentrate on the reading, not on what is about to happen in the story.

Read the TV magazine guides with your child. See if they can pick out the words about their favorite programs.When traveling, read out the road signs and get your child to help look out for signs to where you are going.

Write letters and notes to you son/daughter and get them to write back. Enlist the help of relatives in this. Make sure they write thank-you notes for presents, and ask relatives to do the same back.

Take your child to the library, and show him/her how it works. Talk about the wonderful variety of books there are there. Once they know how to use it, talk about the school library, and encourage them to use that as well.

When you are out together and you see an opportunity for your child to read, give them time to do it. If you are looking at a sign on a shop don't just say "Is this shop open?" and then follow immediately with the answer yourself. Wait while your child finds the sign and reads the letters. You could help by saying "Hmmm ... I think it's that blue sign the tells us when they open...is it 9 o'clock or 10 o'clock, Bobby?"

Children are sometimes quite slow to catch on to reading, and this can be quite frustrating for the parents. Give them time and keep on with your support and help they'll be hooked on reading for ever!

Learn more about this author, Susan Hibberd.
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