Reading adds critical subtext to the story of child’s life

Dear Mr. Dad: I’m not much of a reader and neither is my husband. But a lot of our friends tell us we really need to be read stories to our children (ages 3 and 5) every day. Are they right? And if so, what are the benefits?

A: Your friends are absolutely right. In fact – I know this is going to sound a little grandiose, but it’s true – hands down, the most important thing you can do to help your children succeed in life is read to them.

Children who are regularly read to have larger vocabularies, can focus for longer periods of time, are more empathetic, have better communications skills, have a more active imagination, and have fewer reading problems than kids who don’t have the same exposure. Reading instills a love of literature, teaches complex sentence and plot structure, helps you get to know your child’s tastes and preferences, provides an important alternative to television, and gives you and your child a wonderful chance to snuggle up together under a blanket.

If you need some suggestions, I’ve got several excellent lists in my books “Fathering Your Toddler” and “Fathering Your School-Age Child.” Here are a few ideas to make your reading experience more enjoyable and more fun.

•Make reading a part of your child’s daily routine

•Make your reading interactive. Ask your child questions about what characters are doing and why.

•Do more than just look at the pictures. Many artists give clues of things to come, have involved subplots that exist only in the illustrations, or have hidden objects that appear on every page.

•Don’t be afraid to be theatrical. Try out those accents, funny voices, and sound effects. Or act out the parts. And have your child pick a part, too.

•Don’t worry about interruptions. If your child asks you a question go ahead and answer, even if it takes you on a detour.

•Make mistakes. This is especially good when you’ve read the same story 1,200 times. Skip a page, leave out a word or throw in a couple of extras, replace a character’s name with your child’s, pause in the middle of a sentence and wait for your child to fill in the blank, insist that there are three little wolves and a big, bad pig. The opportunities for error are endless – and, in your child’s eyes, endlessly funny.

•Don’t read books you don’t like.

•Don’t use books as weapons. If you take away stories for not brushing teeth, mouthing off, or lollygagging around, your child will associate books with punishment and could end up hating to read.

•Don’t read too quickly. If you find yourself whipping through books, putting your child in charge of turning the pages will slow you way down.

•Create a kid-friendly reading environment. A shelf that’s just the right height for your child is a great way to subtly encourage your child to read. If you’ve got the space, put a few books face out. If you don’t, just sit back and be amazed when your child picks out his favorites from a crowded shelf, when all he can see is the spine.