If you are a busy parent, with little time to spare, you may wonder why you need to squeeze in 20 minutes of reading each day with your child? So, here’s my answer.
One, Two, Three - R.T.W. What’s R.T.W.? It stands for Read, Talk, Write.
In many of my blogs and in all of my parenting books I mention that the most important conversations between a parent and a child can begin by reading a book together. If your child is dealing with a challenge, a worry or a concern, I bet you can find the perfect book to aid in your search for a resolution.
As the storybook characters define and act out a problem, share their emotions and find a solution - you and your child get to watch safely from a distance.
After the story is over, important conversational seeds can be sown. Using the story as a foundation for your talks takes the attention away from your child, allowing them to focus on what the characters experienced, said and did. Can your child identify the problem, the cause, the resolution? Through quiet discussions parents can highlight how the character handled the situation, asking your child if they can identify other options or strategies the character could have used.
Recently a friend reminded me of an additional benefit gleaned from reading to our children. And chances are it has slipped past, most of us. Within the pages of many good children’s books are highlighted some of the greatest of life’s lessons delivered in a way your child can understand. And these lessons are also helpful tools in guiding our children when we take the time to focus our discussions on them.
Let me give you a few examples:
Concern: Child is frustrated because they are the smallest or youngest child in the family. Or maybe they are the smallest kid on the playground or on their team.
Quote: “Never forget that even the grandest of trees once had to grow up from the smallest of seeds.”
Book: Miss Maple’s Seeds By: Eliza Wheeler
Concern: Child being bullied, afraid to spend the night away from home or anxious about starting a new activity.
Quote: “Promise me you’ll remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think.”
Book: Winnie the Pooh By: A.A. Milne
Concern: Child feels that they are different from everyone else, weird, because they are filled with unique thoughts and ideas.
Quote: My idea “ It wasn’t just a part of me anymore… it was now part of everything. And then, realized what to do with an idea…. You change the world.”
Book: What Do You Do With An Idea? By: Kobi Yamada
Having trouble finding the right book to help you teach one of life’s lessons or to provide a foundation for an important conversation? Check with your school or community librarian.
Now here comes the W part. Post reading and discussing the book, brainstorm a few questions that grew out of the reading and your discussions. Choose one or two and have your child write down their thoughts:
How did the book make them feel?
Who was their favorite character and why?
Did they like the way the character solved the problem? Why or Why not? Would they have done something different?
Who helped the character?
The thought behind this writing process is that your child has the opportunity to reflect on a deeper level and then express their thoughts in writing. Don’t correct what they’ve written. It doesn’t matter if words are misspelled or grammar is absent. Give your child the choice of sharing what they’ve written with you or not. Yes, confirm it was done - but sometimes this kind of sharing takes time for a child to feel safe doing. Make sure that you tell them there are no right or wrong answers, this is simply their chance to think and write a bit.
A further problem arises? Encourage your child to write their thoughts and feelings down in the same way. If the problem is one you addressed through previous readings, encourage your child to go back and review what they wrote before. Writing can be a fabulous way of defining, reviewing and resolving everyday problems.
I hope that you enjoy reading, talking and writing about your favorite storybooks.
www.meriamwilhelm.com and www.projectparenting.com
One, Two, Three - R.T.W. What’s R.T.W.? It stands for Read, Talk, Write.
In many of my blogs and in all of my parenting books I mention that the most important conversations between a parent and a child can begin by reading a book together. If your child is dealing with a challenge, a worry or a concern, I bet you can find the perfect book to aid in your search for a resolution.
As the storybook characters define and act out a problem, share their emotions and find a solution - you and your child get to watch safely from a distance.
After the story is over, important conversational seeds can be sown. Using the story as a foundation for your talks takes the attention away from your child, allowing them to focus on what the characters experienced, said and did. Can your child identify the problem, the cause, the resolution? Through quiet discussions parents can highlight how the character handled the situation, asking your child if they can identify other options or strategies the character could have used.
Recently a friend reminded me of an additional benefit gleaned from reading to our children. And chances are it has slipped past, most of us. Within the pages of many good children’s books are highlighted some of the greatest of life’s lessons delivered in a way your child can understand. And these lessons are also helpful tools in guiding our children when we take the time to focus our discussions on them.
Let me give you a few examples:
Concern: Child is frustrated because they are the smallest or youngest child in the family. Or maybe they are the smallest kid on the playground or on their team.
Quote: “Never forget that even the grandest of trees once had to grow up from the smallest of seeds.”
Book: Miss Maple’s Seeds By: Eliza Wheeler
Concern: Child being bullied, afraid to spend the night away from home or anxious about starting a new activity.
Quote: “Promise me you’ll remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think.”
Book: Winnie the Pooh By: A.A. Milne
Concern: Child feels that they are different from everyone else, weird, because they are filled with unique thoughts and ideas.
Quote: My idea “ It wasn’t just a part of me anymore… it was now part of everything. And then, realized what to do with an idea…. You change the world.”
Book: What Do You Do With An Idea? By: Kobi Yamada
Having trouble finding the right book to help you teach one of life’s lessons or to provide a foundation for an important conversation? Check with your school or community librarian.
Now here comes the W part. Post reading and discussing the book, brainstorm a few questions that grew out of the reading and your discussions. Choose one or two and have your child write down their thoughts:
How did the book make them feel?
Who was their favorite character and why?
Did they like the way the character solved the problem? Why or Why not? Would they have done something different?
Who helped the character?
The thought behind this writing process is that your child has the opportunity to reflect on a deeper level and then express their thoughts in writing. Don’t correct what they’ve written. It doesn’t matter if words are misspelled or grammar is absent. Give your child the choice of sharing what they’ve written with you or not. Yes, confirm it was done - but sometimes this kind of sharing takes time for a child to feel safe doing. Make sure that you tell them there are no right or wrong answers, this is simply their chance to think and write a bit.
A further problem arises? Encourage your child to write their thoughts and feelings down in the same way. If the problem is one you addressed through previous readings, encourage your child to go back and review what they wrote before. Writing can be a fabulous way of defining, reviewing and resolving everyday problems.
I hope that you enjoy reading, talking and writing about your favorite storybooks.
www.meriamwilhelm.com and www.projectparenting.com