Will You Read to Me?

I wrote the following as a lead article for our preschool newsletter.


Do you read to your child?

Studies have shown that just fifteen minutes a day of reading can do wonders for a child’s ability to learn the skill for themselves. It can become a special part of your daily routine. There’s nothing else like having a little person snuggled up next to you, hanging on every word of a good book.

But do you do it? Do you read to your child?

Has reading to your child been put on that infamous list named “Someday”? Of course, there are days when there aren’t even five minutes to spare, let alone fifteen. But it’s no secret that if you consistently show your child that reading is important—not to mention fun—then they will pick up on your example. Neither is it a secret that if your child learns to love to read, they will have the tools to succeed in nearly all they do.

One of the best gifts you could give your child is a love for reading. Make use of your local libraries—Ohio has some of the best in the country. Mix in some Bible story books as you go. (The Arch Book series by Concordia Publishing House is excellent for small children.) Share the most important words there are—the words of Jesus, God’s Son—with your child.

When you read to your child, you give them the world. When you read to your child about God, you give them even more than that.


“I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119: 16