All About Grooming & Encouraging Good Reading Habits

[csc]

Quote : Sashimi \"Your husband should help. Even if your kids do not want him to read to them, don't give them the choice. You are the mother, you choose. Have your husband sit with them and read to them. After a while they should accept this new alternative and give you a break. \"


i agree with this. Husbands should try to help out if possible if they can.. I used to take one kid and my hubby takes the other one to read to them too.

Very good for bonding... and with practice... he has become a great story-teller too..... now he still tells inspirational stories from his head - either his own concoctions or heard from somewhere... to our children while lying on the bed with them , once in a while. the kids love listening to them, still....The magic of STORY-TELLING!

[shylyn]

Hi

I cant say enough of talking..hmm..not sure whether it is applicable to older kids..for my case, i find talking to my boy a very useful way to improve his English. Whatever we observe/read/do, I'll talk to him. I guess many people thought i'm a crazy mum who self talk when my boy was a bb..but guess this turned out well for me..cos my boy's language skills is similar to an adult. Though he will still make some grammar mistakes. :roll:
Beside reading story books, do encourage him to read whatever he come across, be it frm a magazine, comic book, sign boards etc..make him realise the imptance & benefits of reading. For myself, I'll always carry a book where ever i go..whether to keep myself occupied during the journey or entertain my boy before he get restless..beside reading, u can also encourage your child to do crossword puzzle, board games which involve reading (sure Buds got lotsa suggestions in this aspect!)
I'll always 'nag' my hubby to play/read/entertain my boy whenever he's back from work ...he still prefer to laze on the bed/watch tv (rare these days after'training frm me' hee.. ) Guess my boy is also 'smart' enough..cos he had enough of mummy, he will start to look for daddy to entertain.
Don't get discouraged...it's never too late to nurture young minds!
:celebrate:

[debbiehsl]

The problem is my husband also don't really knows how to read....


That upset me when i hve to handle both kids at the same time. When I asked him to read to the young one or the elder one, he said he don't know how...

[corneyAmber]

debbiehsl:

The problem is my husband also don't really knows how to read....


That upset me when i hve to handle both kids at the same time. When I asked him to read to the young one or the elder one, he said he don't know how...

Never too late to learn, he can sit in when you are reading to them!!! :lol:

Ok, firstly he must do it willingly otherwise there will not be positive bonding....so first must establish the interest in him to want to bond...you have to take small steps to get there..instead of shoving reading responsibility to him at one go. His interest to bond will encourage him to do the right things. or maybe he also must start with comics??

As for the educational comics, you can try young scientist level 1.
Here's an example:

http://www.youngscientists.sg/ysample1.html

Actually reading comics like archies or snoopy is also a way to promote interest in reading..then he can progress to books...

[buds]

debbiehsl:

The problem is my husband also don't really knows how to read....


That upset me when i hve to handle both kids at the same time. When I asked him to read to the young one or the elder one, he said he don't know how...

Hahaa! I got that excuse too! Don't let him escape! :!:

Another one of his favourite reasons also...
\"Baby aah... its not that i dun want to read to her...
But, the minute i start reading first line, i start yawning..
I come back from work, tired leh.. wanna chill out with you
and them, sometimes not up to it...\"

My reply, \"Ok, read bedtime story then. You chill first then take
care of their bedtime. I will have more than enuf time to clean up
the kitchen and clear the laundry by then. So, you can sleep right
after that..\"

I dunno who usually sleep first, but when he does make the effort
i do hafta nudge him gently to re-direct him to our bed, lest he gets
a neck ache stuck by the corner of the wall squeezed between 2 girlies.
Hahahaa!

The next day, when i ask the girls they feedback.
\"Mummy! Daddy read very boring. We feel so bored.
And until we feel so sleepy. Sometimes we don't think
we even finished reading the stories before closing our
eyes.\" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Younger one added, \"Mum... Dad reads without ANY EXPRESSION!
Very boring!\" Wuahahahahahaaaa! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Then, i tell my hubs lah... can put more effort or not. Make it more
interesting lah. The poor kids get to see u only few hours after u get
back from work, spend quality time lah..

He replied, \"Ok. How much you pay me for my speech and drama
session with them? You do yourself can...\" :roll: But slowly, i coach
him lah, be more interesting, he always reminds me his dad NEVER
does these things, so he wonders if other fathers are even REQUIRED
to do the same, as requested by me.. Hahaa! Nowadays, he story-tell
with goof and the kids enjoy him more than me, mebbe cos i take too
long to finish up with the kitchen.

Eversince he sat in one of MY story telling sessions he got the idea.
He made fun of me of course! He said where i learn to make the
sound effects so real one hah? :roll: Then, he'll sometimes laugh at
me, together with the kids. \"Eh, same ah baby... same leh! You're
good woh..\" :roll: It gets irritating lah but endure for future results.

Following up from that, the girls enjoy time with daddie..
Falling asleep with daddie... Then, daddie got time to play X-Girl.
ie. X-Box! \"I never miss a chance to sneer... \"Play X-Girl not sleepy leh.\"

[MMM]

The young scientist looks interesting. I just put in the subscription for my kids yesterday.


There is another book called "Story Box". It is distributed by Nurture craft via subscription. My kids school had some special rate last year. I am waiting for it to happen again this year. My P1 likes it and the school teacher also commented that it’s a great book. It has a story area, factual portion eg. on animal, cartoons on Samsam,etc… So there are various areas to keep the child interested.

[schellen]

buds, :ugogirl:


My Dd used to prefer me reading cos sashimi was supposedly boring. But unlike your DH, he eventually bucked up and now, I think DD prefers him. But ok lah cos when reading Chinese and Jap stories, she doesn't want sashimi cos he reads funny or too slow.

[buds]

schellen:

buds, :ugogirl:


My Dd used to prefer me reading cos sashimi was supposedly boring. But unlike your DH, he eventually bucked up and now, I think DD prefers him. But ok lah cos when reading Chinese and Jap stories, she doesn't want sashimi cos he reads funny or too slow.

Wuah! Jap books?
You half Jap beauty, schellen?

[shylyn]

schellen:

buds, :ugogirl:


My Dd used to prefer me reading cos sashimi was supposedly boring. But unlike your DH, he eventually bucked up and now, I think DD prefers him. But ok lah cos when reading Chinese and Jap stories, she doesn't want sashimi cos he reads funny or too slow.

Wow..ur family does Japanese as well!! Admirable! Ur girl can learn Japanese from the comfort of home! that's how kids learn easily! Pity I 'returned' all my knowledge (including Japanese) back to my teachers/lecturers.

[schellen]

buds and shylyn, yes, I speak Jap but not half Jap lah. I wish cos it seems that those \"half-half\" whom I always meet look so good.


shylyn, if only my DD looks to me as teacher besides Mommy. Still trying to teach her. I need Jap at work and since sashimi took it up years after I did, he's resorting to using me as his instant access dictionary rather than those dusty tomes on our shelves. :roll:

shylyn, you should try reading simple Jap children stories cos the Japs use funny sound effects. It's very fun to read. You can start small by choosing translated versions of English/Chinese stories you grew up with.