Nurture the Love of Books
A child who loves to read books is seldom bored. Parents today spare no expense developing the reading habit in their children — and our genetic counsellors say most bibliophile parents want to know if they’ve passed on their love of reading to their children.
Book Reading — Nature or Nurture?
Research on the love of reading indicates a strong role of heredity. When a parent is a bibliophile, the child is more likely to pick up the love for reading. At the same time, extensive research on early childhood education has shown that it is possible to nurture the love of reading in children — it doesn’t have to be purely genetic.
What If the Child Doesn’t Like Reading?
With the amount of screen time among kids today, more children prefer watching a movie to reading a book. Forcing the habit rarely works. As psychotherapist Aarathi Selvan of Pause for Perspective puts it:
“How do adults take it when they are forced to do something? Why do we think kids would react any different? The love for reading has to be inculcated with love. If parents become curious about the child’s interest and gently introduce reading about these interests in small ways — and also being great examples themselves of avid readers — then we are beginning to make a positive impact.”
Tips from Parents Who’ve Done It Successfully
Reading stories: Nothing encourages imagination like a bedtime story. You’re not only bonding with your child but developing natural curiosity and love for books
Reading groups: Some children pick up reading habits at group sessions conducted by experts in early childhood education
Finding the right genre: Not every child likes fairytales or fiction. Experiment with many genres before giving up
Limiting screen time: Before you give your child the latest tablet or your mobile to play with, understand that this could adversely impact many habits, including book reading
Encouraging other interests: A child can start reading because of interest in another activity — look at the number of children who love sports-related books
Practising what you preach: As parents, we are the role models for our children when it comes to habits, including book reading
Is the Love of Reading in Your Genes?
Genomepatri by MapmyGenome reveals your genetic traits — including cognitive strengths, learning style, and personality tendencies — helping you understand what makes you and your children uniquely wired to learn and grow.
