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Engaging your child in meaningful conversations during reading time can enhance their comprehension skills and deepen their understanding of the text. Here are some questions to ask your child before, during, and after reading:
Before Reading:
During Reading:
After Reading:
Encourage your child to think critically and express their thoughts and opinions about the text. By asking open-ended questions, you can spark meaningful discussions and foster a deeper connection to the material.
My Virtual Physician is offering pediatric cognitive-behavioral health services and academic coaching. If you would like to discuss your child's academic or mental health needs, please book appointment with our pediatric cognitive-behavioral coach, Dr. Dalson: BOOK HERE
Reading is a fundamental skill that opens doors to knowledge, imagination, and academic success. As a parent, you play a crucial role in fostering a love of reading in your child. Here are some tips to help your child read more:
Create a Reading-Friendly Environment: Set up a cozy reading nook in your home with comfortable seating, good lighting, and a variety of age-appropriate books. Make sure books are easily accessible and displayed prominently to encourage browsing.
Lead by Example: Let your child see you reading regularly, whether it's a book, magazine, or newspaper. Modeling reading behavior reinforces its importance and demonstrates that reading is a pleasurable activity.
Read Together: Make reading a shared experience by reading aloud to your child or taking turns reading with them. Choose books that align with their interests and reading level, and discuss the story as you go along.
Visit the Library: Take regular trips to the library and let your child explore different genres, authors, and subjects. Encourage them to choose their own books and participate in library programs and events.
Set Aside Daily Reading Time: Establish a daily reading routine where your child spends a dedicated amount of time reading independently. Start with short sessions and gradually increase the duration as their reading skills improve.
Celebrate Milestones: Celebrate your child's reading accomplishments, whether it's finishing a book, mastering a new word, or reaching a reading goal. Positive reinforcement helps build confidence and motivation.
Explore Different Formats: Encourage reading beyond traditional books by incorporating other formats such as comics, graphic novels, audiobooks, or e-books. Different formats can appeal to different interests and learning styles.
My Virtual Physician is offering pediatric cognitive-behavioral health services and academic coaching. If you would like to discuss your child's academic or mental health needs, please book appointment with our pediatric cognitive-behavioral coach, Dr. Dalson: BOOK HERE
"As humans, we all have multiple thoughts in our head that we do not need to believe. As life becomes busier and busier for families the stress of every day living can lead to anxiety, self harm, self-medicating, and the overall disconnection. Without knowing it, we react to life rather than respond." (Debbie Milam, author of the bestselling children's book, Invasion of the Thought Gremlins)
Invasion of the Thought Gremlins is a children’s picture book that teaches valuable lessons about how to deal with intrusive, negative thoughts of any form. The book not only has colorful, adorable characters, but it also addresses the importance of distinguishing wise thoughts from deceiving ones, how to address overwhelming thinking, and how to seek peace of mind.
This book encourages children to:
The book also includes an encouraging note to parents about resilience in themselves and their children.
A very fun and wholesome read for both the parent and the child!
Order your copy today: Invasion of the Thought Gremlins
My Virtual Physician is now offering pediatric behavioral health services. If you are concerned about your child's mental health needs, please book appointment with our pediatric cognitive-behavioral coach, Dr. Dalson: BOOK HERE
We all know that reading with your children is crucial for their cognitive (and behavioral) development. But the reading experience is just as valuable for the parent as it is for the child.
Reading child-friendly content not only helps kids' minds learn important life lessons and morals, but it also helps adult minds stay connected to those lessons and morals. No matter how old you are, basic lessons about honesty, kindness, and courage are still applicable.
And even more, reading child-friendly content with your children can boost your imagination and help you connect/reconnect with your creative side. A testimonial from a mother who had a transformative reading experience with her children:
"I used to love writing fiction as a child. Yet, I told my adult self that I was not a writer. It was a childhood dream of mine to illustrate a book and I believed someday I might do that - but write one? That was too far fetched.
After having two children, though, I began to constantly dream up different children’s story ideas after reading so many to them. One idea kept resurfacing and seemed to work particularly well with the dozens of animal paintings I had created over the last decade - to create an ABC book. I began to realize that my background in education, my love for art, and my ability to be creative with words (even if they often have typos), could all be merged together to write an alphabetical affirmation book.
I self-published my first book, “Animals, ABCs and Me” this past December and I feel happy that all these past titles, degrees, and hats that I have worn can finally be put to use in the form of this book. I hope that in sharing my story of pursuing my dreams after pivoting a bit, I can help others to realize that they can do the same." (Jessica Buhman, author of Animals, ABCs, and Me!)
And here is a testimonial from an author who co-wrote a book with her own grandchildren:
"The last 3 1/2 years, I faced my mortality, several times from multiple life-threatening infections. By God’s grace, I lived through it and I am healing well. Right after [my grandchildren and I] wrote the story, I had more rounds of Covid, one very severe, I also had five friends die within a month and a half. it was such a traumatic season and even with all my tools and support life got very painful and I started to lose hope.
Writing the story, and working with the illustrator, brought such joy and me to see beyond the circumstances I was experiencing. It gave me a spaciousness and creative outlet to experience joy in the middle of so much loss and uncertainty.
And then saw God’s power manifest in such a huge way as the book came out it had the best seller list in England, and in the United States for children’s inspirational literature. I never marketed except sharing it on my Facebook page.
I connected deeply with the meaning and purpose in my life. Even though my body needed so much rest and care while I was healing I still could impact lives for good." (Debbie Milam, author of Invasion of the Thought Gremlins)
Never underestimate the power of reading (or writing) a children's book!
My Virtual Physician is now offering pediatric behavioral health services. If you are concerned about your child's mental health needs, please book appointment with our pediatric cognitive-behavioral coach, Dr. Dalson: BOOK HERE
