Should you read to your baby? Many mommies are wondering whether now is the time to start introducing their completely clueless babies to the world of books. Experts have said that it is never too early to start reading to your baby, as doing so, will give him benefits that will last him a lifetime. It is also in the same vein that your baby will be missing out a lot on these benefits when you don't make reading a part of your baby's daily routine. Here are five things your baby will miss.
Bonding time with you
Bonding time with moms is essential for babies. Every time you read to your baby, he is exposed to the sound of your voice. According to Parents, this interaction is soothing for him, giving your baby a sense of security, all essential to his development.
Preparatory reading skills
Experts have said that while babies don't have any idea what you're talking about, they can still pick up the rhythm and inflections of your voice. This will help lay the foundation for real reading skills later on.
Stimulates brain development
Studies have shown that babies who hear more words in a single day, or whose parents talk to them a lot scored higher in standard tests when they were older. They also have more advanced mathematical skills.
Time mentioned that pediatricians today are encouraged to advise parents to read to their babies from infancy as this helps in their literacy and overall cognitive development. Now this is one of the most important considerations when you're trying to answer the question, should you read to your baby?
Improves emotional development
Reading is said to expose babies to different emotional states. This is something that cannot be enjoyed when babies are left to watch TV or face a tablet all day. According to Dr. Mary Ann Abrams, MD, Reach Out and Read's medical director, "The spoken word conveys the idea that words have meaning and certain sounds mean certain things."
Improves visual development
Every time your baby looks at a series of pictures, he is improving his visual development. Exposing your baby to shapes, colors and letters will make it easier for him to identify these things later on.
So should you read to your baby? The answer is a big "Yes!" When you don't, your baby will miss out all these great benefits that reading brings. Please feel free to provide more tips and benefits of reading to your baby in the comments section below.
