From the long-term point of view the only lasting value we can give to our children is the time and memories of moments spent together.

Relationship to reading is being formed long before the child starts to attend school for the first time. The child begins to learn from the moment she/he is born. It is proven that during the first 5 year of its life, the child learns the most that s/he is going to learn in any further point of her/his life. Because these first years are so important in the child's intellectual development, you, the parents play a crucial role in shaping your child's development towards becoming a self-confident reader, writer and lifelong learner.

You are the first teacher of your child...

... and you can make the first experience of your child with learning an enjoyable and fruitful one. You can help your child to cope with the change of the home environment to that of the school.

Make reading a learning experience.

You may think that the job of your child's first teacher is going to be difficult. Remember, you have many advantages. Your child loves you, trust you and (often) listens to everything you say. In many situations you are able to spend some individual quality time with your child even if you have more children. Trust your instinct, be patient and give plenty of support to your child. This way you can make reading a pleasurable learning experience.

Be a reading role model for your child.

What is the key to helping your child to become a reader? In one word - reading. Why? Because the research shows that the best way how parents and guardians can help their children to be successful later in school is to read to the child every day. Reading aloud to you child helps her/him:

• to develop word stock
• to cherish books and reading
• to understand new ideas and notions
• to discover and learn about the world

Enter the journey of reading along with your child

The warmth and safety of your home offers always excellent conditions for reading with your child. Children are curious creatures with lots of questions always on the lookout for ways to occupy their busy mind. You don't have to spend lot of money on beautiful books, to enter the journey of reading with your child. Here are some tips:

• Always have books, newspapers, magazines at home, so that your child is surrounded by motivation and materials for reading.
• Show to your child how people use reading and writing in everyday life, for example by reading aloud the recipe while cooking, or reading a text of the postcard, letter, by writing together the shopping list, etc.
• Visit libraries, bookshops, newsstands and other places where there are books and other reading materials. Ask your child to help you choose a book s/he likes.

ANY time is good reading time

The most important thing is to read books to your child. Pick a day in a week for reading. Most parents like to read to their kids before sleep time, but any other time is also good. Here is some advice on ho to make reading an important part of your day.

• Make a bookshelf in you child's room, to teach your child that books are an important part of a home environment. If possible, put books with pictures, songs, nursery rhymes, stories and home made books into your home library.
• Choose a comfortable place for reading, for example a rocking chair, soft carpet, cozy sofa or an armchair. Touch and caress are very important for your child. Place your child on your lap or hold her/him close to you. Thus, you'll spend memorable moments together and your child will remember them. If possible, allow your child to hold the books or/and turn pages.
• Before you start reading a book, make sure you know what is it about. You will become a better storyteller. You can make the storytime memorable for your child when you leave time for questions and answers, when you'll read slowly and clearly, when you'll hold the books so that the child can see the pictures and words and by making the story more colorful by altering your voice with the flow of the story.
• We can read to our children since their early age. The sooner we will start the easier and better we will become at it.
• Rhymes, poems, songs, chants and other pleasing texts stimulate the development of the child's language and listening skill. Simple but appropriately illustrated books encourage child's curiosity. Start with picture books and gradually move to stories and novels.
• Warnings like: "Sit quietly! Listen! Pay attention! Stop wriggling!" do not add to calm and pleasant atmosphere.
• During reading aloud, the child develops the listening skill. Do not read too fast, allow our listening child enough time to enjoy the story, to imagine the story.
• When we read a story in several parts, always remind your child what was read the previous time.
• If the child is interested, spend some time talking about the book.
• Before reading a new book, spend some time discussing the picture on the cover. Ask your child: "What do you think this books is going to be about?"
• Before turning another page of the book, or during any suitable part of the story, stop and ask: "What do you think is going to happen next? What would you do in her/his place?"
• Fathers should make extra effort o read to their children. As majority of the elementary school teachers are women, young boys tend to associate reading with women and working at school.
• Be a role model. Let your child see you enjoy reading in your free time, not only during read aloud time. Show that reading is a pleasurable activity.
• Remember, it is important for a preschools child to learn wanting to read form us.
• Do not use the books as a threat: "If you will not clean your room, there's no reading tonight!" If our child finds out that we use the books as a weapon, s/he changes her/his attitude towards books from positive to negative.
• Manage the amount of time our child devotes TV. Reading can follow up many TV programs, or, after reading we can choose a program informative for our child.
• Do not attempt to compete with watching the TV. If we ask our child if she wants to read a book or watch TV, usually she chooses the latter one.
• Whatever reading is better that none, but if we don't like the story, do not continue in reading. Admit a mistake and choose a different title.
• Do not read stories you do not enjoy yourself. Our dislike will show in the reading and reading will miss the goal intended.
• Do not be put out of balance by questions your child is asking during reading, especially if the child is small. Answer her questions patiently. Do not reject questions and do not answer in a hurry.
• Do not mix quality with quantity. Ten minutes of reading in full awareness and enjoyment will be better remembered by our children that two hours spent watching TV.