Kids are naturally hyper. They’ll run, jump, and skip to entertain themselves. It’s pretty hard for them to stay still. That’s just the way they are.
Demanding that they stay still is not good for them. They’ll just end up doing the opposite and we’ll just end up getting more irritated.
If we want our kids to stay still, we shouldn’t tell them to do it. Instead, we should find an activity that can get them to stay still.
One activity that can help kids stay still is to read aloud to them. According to research, engaging kids in activities such as reading can have positive effects on their behavior. The research adds that literacy isn’t the only positive outcome of reading aloud to kids. I agree.
Improved Behavior
The research was pretty simple. It focused on a study called Reading Aloud, Play, And Social-Emotional Development.
What the researchers did was to group families into two. They videotaped the interactions of the two groups of families.
One group of families had parents interact with their kids through reading and playing. This group also had some intervention from the researchers. They provided positive feedback and reinforced the interactions between parents and kids.
The other group did not receive any kind of intervention from the researchers. It also did not get any feedback and reinforcement from the researchers.
A little more than a year after the study, the researchers found that the kids from the intervention group were more behaved. They also had better social skills as compared to the kids from the other group.
The Importance Of Reading And Playing With Kids
The study shows the positive effects of interacting with kids through reading, playing, and talking. Child expert, Alan Mendelsohn, cites an important thing about the study.
According to him, the study proves that kids can be better prepared for school if their parents spend some time reading aloud to them. Other interactions such as playing and talking can benefit them as well.
He also cites that kids can further develop their capacity to pay attention and to sit still through reading, playing, and talking. By reading aloud to them, they can enhance their capacity to engage with the story. These simple skills will prepare them for the big school.
Both reading and playing can facilitate conversation between parents and kids. No matter how simple the conversation is, words are exchanged to express feelings.
According to Mendelsohn, that’s important. That is what gets the kids to stay still. He further adds that when kids begin to internalize the language, they don’t usually get angry with another kid’s behavior. Hence, they become more tolerant. That also explains why kids become more behaved.
The Magic Of Face-To-Face Interaction
More than anything else, the parent and the child can spend quality time together when they read and talk to each other. That bond is also strengthened when they play with each other.
The face-to-face interaction that happens when parents and kids read and play together is crucial. It’s a far cry from the digital interaction kids get from screen time.
I would have to agree with the researchers of the study. If we could spend more time reading aloud to our kids, we could help channel their energy into something more productive.
An interesting book can keep the kids engaged. They’ll start to think about the story; unconsciously, focusing on it. As time goes by, they will be able to associate the letters and the photos of the book to the story. Just like magic, they’re going to end up loving the same book over and over again.
At that point, that’s where we, parents, have to read the same old book over and over again. That’s okay. If doing that can contribute to the positive behavior of our kids, then it’s worth doing it all over again.
There’s no doubt about the calming effect of reading aloud to kids. As shown by the study, kids not only come out literate. They also come out as calm and behaved human beings. That’s great news for a parent, like me.
When your child learns to read at an early age, it expands their vocabulary and opens up their love for learning. It helps build their confidence and vastly improves their learning abilities.
And based on my experience, having the right reading methodology when teaching your child learn to read makes a world of difference.
I should know as I made that mistake. 😢
In fact, you can read my story about my child’s struggle with reading here and how we were able to help my child become an advanced reader here. 😀🤗