Brought to you by Nemours Brightstart!
For Liana Rothstein Hood, reading with her 19-month-old has been a high priority since the days before her daughter was born. That’s because Liana learned about Reading BrightStart! while she was still pregnant. “I was introduced to Reading BrightStart! through Dr. Laura Bailet, PhD, the creator and Operational Vice President of Nemours Reading BrightStart!,” she says. “Then, my niece coincidentally participated in one of Reading BrightStart!’s reading readiness screenings prior to entering Pre-Kindergarten.”
Liana always expected that she’d read to her child. But Reading BrightStart! gave her a different perspective–and more ideas for helping her daughter’s reading development grow. “It’s absolutely changed the way that my husband and I think about our daughter’s development and pre-reading skills.”
A few visits to ReadingBrightStart.org gave Liana and her husband the tools they needed to get the most out their reading sessions with their daughter. “We are mindful of the manner in which we read. For instance, we point to the words as we go. And when we look through picture books, we describe the pictures that Lauren sees. We ask our daughter lots of questions in a way that she is able to respond.”
But it’s not just about books: “Our reading experiences aren’t limited to the moments when we sit down to read. We recite nursery rhymes and sing songs, when we’re running errands or on walks.”
In fact, ReadingBrightStart.org is full of information designed to help parents like Liana and her husband work reading readiness into everyday moments. And while many Moms may see reading readiness as a daunting, time-consuming task, the exact opposite is true–and it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself. When you’re reading, don’t expect your child to always sit still for the story, or to read every word on every page. Break up your reading sessions throughout the day, to help keep your child’s interest.
“Our ingredients for a successful reading session are very simple,” Liana says. “Books and lots of cuddles.”
What advice would she give to a like-minded parent? “Take a few minutes to explore the website to see all that it has to offer. There are a multitude of tips, external links, videos and other resources that will benefit parents of children of all ages and reading abilities.”
Liana’s daughter Lauren still has several years before she’ll be reading on her own, and Liana plans to fill those years (and beyond) with the reading habits she’s grown with ReadingBrightStart.org. “I think when you take the time to read with your child, you simultaneously benefit from the process because you learn so much about them, too. Reading with your child offers a priceless opportunity to see them laugh, to see them engaged, to see them connect, and to see them truly relish the process of reading.”
Thank you to Nemours Reading BrightStart! for sponsoring this post. Nemours Reading BrightStart! Awareness Campaign is supported by a grant from The Chartrand Family Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
