ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA
Start early. Bookstart suggests that you begin when your child is six months old. Don't assume that your baby does not understand. A child's brain is like a sponge until he or she is six years old. If you start later than that, it will be much more difficult to get them to read.
- Read to your baby everyday, at least five to 15 minutes a day.
- While reading, hold the baby on your lap, put your arms around the baby's chest and bring his or her body close to yours. The intimate touch will send a mother's warmth to the baby.
- Let your baby touch the book himself. At first, you may guide his hands to flip the pages. That will develop the hand muscles. Don't bother if the books are torn.
- After the baby is nine months old, have him or her lie face down on the floor, parents also lying in the same posture but head-to-head with the baby, turning the page for him. When you read, the baby will look at the book, while occasionally switch to see your face. They will absorb and get familiar with the parents' voice and facial expressions.
- The books suitable for babies should be illustration books, full of coloured pictures with fewer text. Fairy tales are good for moral teaching. The books will be more fun to read if the text is in a verse form, with simple rhymes. The high and low pitches when reading will capture the children's attention.
- Apart from illustrated books, parents may opt for other books they feel happy to read, but make sure they contain clean pictures and contents that are safe for the children's minds.
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