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As a child trying to navigate the complications of an ever expanding world a lot can be found within the confines of a good story. There in lies opportunities for gaining wisdom, in-direct experiences, as well as sources of comfort and humor. For a small child, listening to a story can be a profound experience and, when you read with or to them, you have the opportunity to guide and share this experience. Just as a trip to the local hardware store can expand into a great, shared adventure in the mind of your child, a evening spent listening to the exploits of Fancy Nancy can form a bond complete with inside jokes and a new mutual friend.
Aside from the sheer pleasure of story time, reading a book also provides an opportunity for your child to safely experience some of the challenges, and even heart breaks, awaiting them in the real world. As Little Red Riding Hood is beguiled in the forest, your son or daughter is given an understanding of a child’s vulnerability. This can be a valuable foundation when you explain the dangers of talking to strangers and not listening to one’s parents. Reading such a story with your child gives you an occasion for addressing some of life’s perils while providing them the reassurance that, even when things are confusing or scary, they are loved and always safe with you.
Finding time every day, over breakfast in the morning or right before bed, to share a book with your child is one of the most important things you can do as a parent. It allows you to build new bonds of friendship, teach them lessons about life, and find a place where you can meet as friends with a common interest. It is a gift, for you as much as for them.