Who Should Read to Whom? Yes.

We have spoken to many parents wading through this difficult time. Many are struggling to get it all done—balancing working from home with parenting and teaching children. Others, ironically, are struggling to fill the hours—unexpectedly furloughed and stranded, with too much time and too many people in the house.

We’ve heard from parents who are worried about maintaining a connection with kids that want to retreat from family immersion. Others, meanwhile, aren’t sure how to motivate their children to complete their school work with some degree of independence.

The struggles are real. They are also the same as they ever were. In this virus-infused epoch, the challenges are heightened and more poignant—but they are the same. And thus, the solutions are the same as they are ever were—though we may need to act on them with more enthusiasm and dedication than before.

Thus, we come to today’s suggestion; it is the simplest one of all. It is so simple that one might be inclined to discard it. Please don’t. Whether you are struggling for time or awash in it, make it a priority today and every day to read out loud together with your child.

If your child does not yet know how to read, you probably already have a bedtime story routine. If your child does read, you probably don’t. We so often let go of this powerful tool just when it is getting good—like casting aside a book after the characters are finally fleshed out.

The process is simple, pick a book that you can both enjoy (we recommend every Newberry Medal Winner) and take turns reading out loud to each other. You can do this for a few minutes or a few hours. You can read half of the time or most of the time.

When you read to your children, you have an opportunity to demonstrate proper cadence, pronunciation, and emphasis. Your reading will help bring the book to life. You will also have a chance to teach vocabulary and idioms in context. Further, you can slow down and discuss the plot, character motivations, and questions of morality or justice; you can help them through a more sophisticated book than they could tackle on their own.

Let them read aloud too! When your children read to you, they will have a chance to develop their voice and serve you for a change. You will have all of the same opportunities to work on vocabulary and plot while also helping them with pronunciation, cadence, and elocution.

In both cases, you will develop a connection. Few actives offer a better chance for two people to bond than sitting together and reading a good book to each other. It is a simple gift—for both of you.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more thoughts on how to be a great teacher for your kids….