Reading

A fondness for reading changes the inevitable dull hours of our life into exquisite hours of delight.  - Charles de Montesquieu   The key point is: Reading aloud is a journey, not a race. The longer it takes to get to the end of the book, the better. Our main focus is not on the book; the book is merely a tool for engaging children in a discussion about life and, … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: It’s Not a Race

The key point is: Dads should not just turn to Page 1 and jump in. They should set the mood first.   Many simple things can be done to set the mood for a book. Just taking a minute to talk about the topic of the book, may increase children’s interest in the book and also build their knowledge of the book’s context.   For instance, if the story is about mangoes, … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Beginning a Read Aloud Session

The key point is: If dads practice first before reading aloud to children, they can do a better job. Because their goal is to convince children to love reading, just like sellers need to know their products well in order to convince customers to buy them, they need to know the books they will read well in order to convince children of the joys of reading. So, if possible, dads … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: How to Prepare to Read Aloud

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read anyway. - Groucho Marx   The key point is: Closeness is nice. Getting comfortably seated is the final step before beginning to read aloud. Where the children sit depends on their age. Dads can hold infants in our arms as we read to them, or lay them down. Their lap is probably the best … [Read more...] about Where to Sit While Reading Aloud

The key point is: Find a comfortable place with the least possible distractions. The #1 way to do this is to turn off the TV! If you can’t do that, go to another room, and close the door. Don’t try to compete with the TV. It’s usually a losing battle. If there is other adults or other children want to watch TV and there is no place to escape to, explain to the others that … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Where to Read Aloud