MOST of us have fond memories of our parents reading us bedtime stories. A favourite among young children, this evening ritual tends to fall victim to parents' lack of time or even lack of self-confidence.
At least, that's what a survey* carried out by the Ladybird publishing house, reported on by The Bookseller claims. Three-quarters of respondents would like to have more time to read a bedtime story to their toddlers. A similar proportion of parents favour children's traditional bedtime hours, between 6 and 8pm, for undertaking this activity and feel that other times of day are not appropriate.
However, 17% of those surveyed would consider reading to their children in the morning, between 8 and 10am. This alternative may be possible for more parents than previously thanks to the general deployment of remote working, a mode of organisation that helps some parents save precious time.
Despite these differences of opinion, the parents surveyed are nearly unanimous about seeing the practice of reading stories to toddlers as beneficial. Most of them believe that this activity enables them to spend quality time with their children (81%), while 68% even see it as a way of strengthening the emotional bond between them.
But that's not the only advantage of reading aloud. A number of research studies have shown that this activity helps with children's development of language skills and stimulates their auditory memory. What's more, it awakens a taste for reading, which is of vital importance.
Reading is extremely beneficial on a cognitive, intellectual and behavioural level. It also involves brain mechanisms that children can benefit from as they grow older, according to a study published in the journal Psychology Medicine.
Generally speaking, 93% of parents think it's essential to read stories to children. Ladybird's survey shows, however, that some adults are reluctant to read to children under one year of age because of their very young age. Others lack self-confidence, fearing they won't be able to do it properly, and above all that they won't be able to interpret the various characters in the story well.
Fears they can and should dismiss, according to Lucy Walters, writer and performer. "Your little one loves the sound of your voice, the special moment of you and them sharing the story together: following the words, pointing at the pictures, and joining in with the story through the bumps and bends. There is no right or wrong way to read a story. You being you is more than enough for your little one," she told The Bookseller. – The Vibes, August 25, 2023
*Censuswide surveyed 1,013 British parents of children aged 0-5 on behalf of Ladybird.
