Helping Hands Egypt

How to Encourage your Kid to Read
I think it’s helpful to have a regular time in your schedule when you talk about and read books with your children. It could be after school, when they are resting, or at bedtime.

Start your bedtime routine early enough so you have time to read together when they are young. Really, you can start reading books with a baby within weeks after birth. Get into a regular practice of reading together with your child as early as possible, and if you haven’t been doing it heretofore, there’s no time like the present to start.

You could also share with your child your own love of reading and explain how reading has opened the world up to you. You don’t want to get too carried away and make a lecture out of it, but in a more conversational tone you could talk about cool stuff you’ve read about in books.

Then you could seek out age-appropriate books about things that might interest her or him. For instance, if you have a son, you might want to find stories where the boy is the hero so that he can identify with the main character.

The same thing with daughters; stories about girls her age might catch her interest more easily than stories about aliens.

And ask your kid what kinds of books they might like! You might be surprised at what they tell you.

A good librarian or book store worker can help you find books that are the right reading level for your child. If a book is too far ahead of his abilities, he may feel overwhelmed and stressed by the difficulty and back off from reading. It’s best to start off with easier books that he can master, and then move into more difficult books.

Ten Ways to Involve Fathers in Their Children's Education.

Parent involvement in schools has traditionally been carried out by mothers. Yet boys and girls need positive, male role models. When fathers take an active role in education, schools report an increase in student achievement...."Inform fathers that volunteering in school is not the only way to enhance their child's learning. Active involvement with their child at home is a form of participation. Stress that maintaining an open, sensitive father-child relationship will have a positive impact on their child's growth. Encourage the following behaviors in fathers:
Telling childhood stories
Reading with their child
Modeling reading behaviors
Using the library
Playing games and/or sports
Taking the child on outings to a park, zoo, museum, and/or participate in cultural activities.
Completing routine jobs together
Teaching the child a skill
Watching educational television
Having a weekly family night
Modeling perseverance
Exploring interests
Eating family meals together and encourage discussion. During the meal, have each family member tell about the best thing that happened to them that day or an important thing they learned.
Most of all, express love and pleasure in being with your child.