AFP – Many of us cherish the cherished moments when our parents read us bedtime stories, a beloved tradition among young children. Sadly, this tradition often falls prey to the time constraints and self-doubt that parents experience.
According to a survey conducted by Ladybird publishing house and reported by The Bookseller, this sentiment is shared by a significant number of parents with children aged zero to five. The survey revealed that three-quarters of the respondents wish they had more time to read bedtime stories to their little ones.
Furthermore, a similar portion of parents prefer the traditional bedtime hours of 6pm to 8pm for this activity and consider other times of the day less suitable. However, 17 per cent of those surveyed would consider reading to their children in the morning, between 8am and 10am.
This alternative may be possible for more parents thanks to the general deployment of remote working. Despite these differences of opinion, the parents surveyed are nearly unanimous about seeing the practice of reading stories to toddlers as beneficial. Most of them believe that this activity enables them to spend quality time with their children (81 per cent), while 68 per cent even see it as a way of strengthening the emotional bond between them.
LANGUAGE AND MEMORY
But that’s not the only advantage of reading aloud. A number of research have shown that this activity helps with children’s development of language skills and stimulates their auditory memory.
It also awakens a taste for reading. Reading is beneficial on a cognitive, intellectual and behavioural level. It also involves brain mechanisms that children can benefit from as they grow older, according to a study published in the journal Psychology Medicine.
Around 93 per cent of parents think it’s essential to read stories to children. Ladybird’s survey shows, however, that some adults are reluctant to read to children under one year of age because of their very young age.
Others lack self-confidence, fearing they won’t be able to do it properly. Fears they can and should dismiss, according to writer Lucy Walters, “Your little one loves the sound of your voice, the special moment of you and them sharing the story together: following the words, pointing at the pictures, and joining in with the story through the bumps and bends. There is no right or wrong way to read a story. You being you is more than enough for your children,” she told The Bookseller.
