Reading - a real superpower!
Today is the nationwide Read Aloud Day. And I don't think I need to say too much more about the great importance of reading aloud. Reading is a real superpower for children. Hence the tip, the advice, the request: Take today as an opportunity to read something really nice to your child again.
Anyone who doesn't have time today can watch the video in which I read a chapter from my absolute favourite children's book "Wir Kinder aus dem Möwenweg" - and play it for their children.
And if you need a few more arguments about how important reading is - voilà:
Reading aloud creates closeness: Fighting dragons together, riding horses through the mountains or solving tricky murder mysteries - when reading aloud, parents and children spend time together, are close and get talking. This strengthens family cohesion and helps to talk about difficult topics.
Reading aloud increases vocabulary: children encounter new words in stories. If they hear these words more often, they will soon be using them independently.
Reading aloud makes you inventive: Children who listen to a story often come up with good ideas afterwards. They build castles, knead animals, make superhero masks or continue the adventures of their favourite heroes in their heads.
Reading aloud increases empathy: strong and weak, brave and fearful, curious and shy - children's book heroes are very different. In stories, children empathise with their thoughts and feelings. This helps them to better understand their daycare centre and school friends, for example.
Reading aloud reinforces a sense of justice: when children accompany Peppa, Harry and the little witch on their adventures, they learn how problems arise and how they can be solved. This helps them to deal with conflicts in everyday life.
Reading aloud makes you clever: volcanoes, ballet, space travel - children learn about new worlds in adventure and non-fiction stories. They expand their knowledge, get answers to their questions and become curious about other topics.
Reading aloud promotes concentration: children who listen to stories frequently learn to pay attention for longer periods of time.
Reading aloud makes learning to read easier: children learn their first letters by turning the pages and looking along. This knowledge helps them later when they start school.
Reading aloud makes them want to learn to read: Children with reading experience enjoy decoding words, letters and sentences more.
Reading aloud prepares children for school: children who have experienced reading aloud often achieve better grades - not only in German, but also in other subjects.
Source: Reading Foundation
Further interesting tips
Drink
Time for a classic. The parental question "How much does my child need to drink?" is an integral part of the paediatrician's daily routine.
Dummy
When is my child too old for a dummy? All parents ask themselves this question sooner or later. There are many answers. But there is also a very simple way.
Health letter
A somewhat more difficult topic today - but one that we paediatricians are very concerned about. Because we are very often confronted with the fact that we are supposed to give a child a "clean bill of health". In other words, we are asked to certify schools, nurseries or childminders: This child is healthy. But we can't do that.