Daily life for many of us currently requires staying at home. One of the plusses of being less mobile could be ample time to read independently or for families, with or to each other.
I have shared before about the magic that happens when you read aloud to children but now more than ever the creative world of good stories can be a true haven. We thrive from those personal connections for it can feel restorative, comforting and be an outlet to relieve stress. For families or individuals at home without children, maybe consider connecting around books virtually. I succumbed to a chain email request because it was a fun way to reach out to friends over books and the added bonus was getting loads of great recommendations! One book that was in my pile of “must reads” was The Enchanted Hour:The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud by Meghan Cox Gurdon. It is well-written and solidifies how important reading and being read to is for infants, children and on through adulthood. A few take aways from her research and findings below:
Why important for babies, toddlers and young children?
“Children’s early years are a time of such intense formation. The young brain is plastic, adaptable, and growing like mad. In the first twelve months, a baby’s brain doubles in size. By a child’s third birthday, his brain has completed 85 percent of all the growth it will have.”
Including: language development, emotional control, emotional skills, vision, hearing, and response mechanisms.
“Human development is cumulative. Each experience and each skill a person acquires informs the next. When it comes to reading aloud in childhood, the repercussions don’t stop when kids get to school, or even when the reach adolescence. The ripples spread outward and onward into adulthood.”
If interested in learning more I would highly recommend The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud for Gurdon does an amazing job blending in the behavioral research and brain science, while also sharing useful tips and recommendations for powerful reads. The list of books she shares alone is worth checking out this book! I was also intrigued by the term “intellectual architecture.” She uses this descriptor when referring to brain imaging research. I found myself immediately conjuring up an image of a child’s brain with a strong foundation forming incrementally with the help of developing reading habits. It is easy to envision that a child’s neurons and synapses need to be stimulated to connect and strengthen and to ultimately help to build that intellectual architecture.
Stay healthy and please do not let this be an added pressure but more of a release valve for when you are feeling patient and maybe a bit less hurried.
Laine
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