Benefits of reading bedtime stories to children

Benefits of reading bedtime stories to children

1| Bonding

Research has shown that 60% of parents feel that they get closer to their children by committing to reading bedtime stories to them. Let us be realistic: With the accelerating pace of life, parents busy with their jobs and responsibilities, and children busy with their daily schedules between school hours, homework, and extracurricular activities, there is barely time to bond. This time before bed is ideal for bonding between parents and children.

2| Spend quality time

Your children will consider that he has a daily appointment with you during this magical half-hour. This is a signal from you to them that you are spending these cozy moments with them no matter how tired you are and no matter how busy your mind is. Sometimes, you may not be able to have a main meal with your children or talk to them about their day, but this special period is when you commit to spending quality time with them.

3| Improve sleep quality

Several studies have shown that listening to a bedtime story helps children fall asleep faster and easier and stay asleep throughout the night. Child sleep experts and pediatricians also consider reading a story before bed an element of the sleep routine that helps the child relax and feel safe with the presence of a parent next to him, which makes it an excellent way to improve children's sleep quality.

4| Encouraging children to love reading

Getting the child used to spending daily time with a book will make this valuable element an integral part of his day. Reading to your child will encourage him to imitate you, especially if you read stories to your children with enthusiasm and passion.

5| Enhancing language skills

When you read to your child while he looks at the words, he spells them and remembers their pronunciation, especially with repetition. Therefore, reading stories to children is a very important means of enhancing pronunciation, expression, reading, and writing skills in children of different ages.

6| Enhancing the child's emotional intelligence

Books help your young children deal with their feelings better. Reading a story to a child before bedtime is an appropriate opportunity to discuss some of the difficult situations that children go through and find difficult to talk about. Such as being bullied or having difficulties in studying. Through hearing stories and experiences, the child discovers that he is not the only one going through difficulty or feeling a frightening or painful feeling, which qualifies the child to deal with various situations and emotions better. Reading also enriches the child’s emotional vocabulary, which helps them express their feelings better.

7| Improving mental wellbeing

Studies and research have shown that reading a child's story before bedtime helps relieve anxiety and stress in children to a great extent. However, this improvement in mental well-being is not limited to children. Instead, this reading period improves the parents' mental well-being as well. Do not be surprised if you once asked your husband to read your children a bedtime story, and he then asked you to do it constantly. This is because of the positive feeling he got from this magical period he spent with his children at the end of a difficult day.

The best bedtime stories for children

• Stories that contain a lesson or a moral.
• Funny stories.
• Children's stories with a happy ending.
• Stories that are written entertainingly and attractively.
• Any children's story that does not contain frightening, disturbing, or sad situations.

Conclusion,

I continued to read bedtime stories to my children until they were in their early teenage years. They would gather around me to listen to me read a story they had heard from me dozens of times, but this was our private time. No matter how often the story was repeated, we would never tire of these moments that helped us create the most beautiful memories. Therefore, my dear, make sure to dedicate this period to your children. Believe me, you will find its benefits as the days pass.