How did you do it?

I am writing this blog post after I was asked a question by a parent who was envious of how much my children read as children and how they are both committed to reading loads in the their early adulthood. I will first though explain a little background if you will bear with me.

OK, so it should come as no surprise to those that read this blog that I love reading. I think I love reading more than any other hobby and it feels wrong to even describe reading as a hobby. Reading is the best investment in yourself you can do I think apart from food and water. It bestows on the reader so many benefits.

• Reading encourages you to grow
• Reading allows you experience multiple realities creating enpathy
• Reading can challenge your perspective
• Reading helps with your memory and brain health
• Reading can be a distraction from life if necessary
• Reading has meant I have never felt alone
• Reading has bestowed on me a life worth living

I could spend a little time on each of the above bullets and a normal post would do that, maybe I will do that in another post but they are off the top of my head the important things that reading has given me and my family.

We used to read all the time with the kids, not just what the school gave the children but other books, extra books, we would have them read to each other, to gran parents, we would read to them and just made reading a part of our lives above every other use of our time considered to be leisure.

This is what was on my mind when I was asked by another parent “How did you persuade your children to read books instead of playing on smart devices?” My answer was simple but I think worth sharing as it goes to the very essence of parenting:

Children don’t hear us, they imitate us

My answer to that parent who asked, How did you persuade your children to read book instead of playing on smart devices?

It seems simple but who many people really live the lives that they profess to encourage. If you watch TV all night, play on playstations yourself, why would you think your kids would want to read more? children are always watching our examples. Anyway that was my advice, I don’t mean it to be pretentious or show off in anyway but examples you set to all those that look to you are the most important thing of all.

hearty handshakes from me to you