What can you do to help your child become a strong writer? If you are reading this article before your baby is even born, then you
have a distinct advantage and can follow
the suggestions listed below to achieve
optimum;results.;Don’t;despair,;however,
if;that;is;not;the;case,;because;it’s;never
too late to make improvements. What
children of all ages need in order to become successful writers is an environ-ment;that;is;rich;in;language—spoken
and written—plus a solid understanding
of;our;language’s;mechanics.;After;that,
they need practice, practice, and more
practice.
Conversation
When;you;were;pregnant,;did;you;talk
to your baby? This is when the com-
munication that will eventually lead to
your child becoming a competent writer
begins. Your developing baby hears and
loves;your;voice.;Talk;to;him!;Tell;him
what’s;going;on;in;your;life;and;in;the
world around you.
Once;he;is;in;your;arms,;keep;talking
to him. Truly engage with your child,
right from the beginning. Have you
seen the picture of the young mother at
the playground? Her little girl is on the
swing, hoping for interaction with her
mother, but the young woman is on her
cell phone . . .
There are too many distractions of
this sort today. We need to remember
that we have only a brief window of time
in which to raise our children; the cell
phones and other electronic distractions
must wait.
If;you;talk;a;lot;to;your;baby,;before
you;know;it,;he;will;be;“talking”;to;you.
These are some of the best memories I
have of when my children were young:
they;would;look;me;right;in;the;eye;and
go on and on, telling me what seemed
to;be;very;important,;significant;infor-
mation. None of us could understand a
word of it, but we pretended we did and
would;even;ask;them;if;they;had;heard
what they were relating in the “baby
news.”;They;loved;this,;and;it;encouraged
them;to;keep;“talking.”
Obviously,;this;interaction;can’t;go;on
24/7, and everyone needs down time.
Do;your;best,;though,;to;make;sure;that
down times are either truly quiet and
peaceful or educational in some way.
Parking;your;child;in;front;of;an;in-sipid television show is never a good
idea. If you must use TV occasionally as
a distraction, watch with your child (or
at;least;listen);the;first;couple;of;times;to
make;sure;that;the;dialogue;is;intelligent
and interesting. However, it is almost
126;Annual;Print;Book;2014;•;Grooming;Great;Writers;www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
By;Nancy;Doran
Raising Readers
and Writers
Truly engage with your child, right from the beginning.
