Let’s face it—we’re in a time where screens of all shapes and sizes are competing for your little one’s attention. Sometimes there’s nothing better than the silence that washes over your house when your kids are occupied with a tablet, especially when you need to fold your laundry in peace. But, there are other ways to get your kiddos to settle while spending some one-on-one bonding time with them—reading! There are many benefits to reading to your little ones at home. We asked our friend Matt DePietro, author to the newest children’s book From Pups to Grown Ups and new father to his son, Leo, to help us explain how you can create an educational experience and infinite bond with your kiddo through reading.
Use Plots with Meaningful Messages to Explain Life Lessons
When Matt began writing From Pups to Grown Ups, he wanted to write a story about the importance of showing gratitude to loved ones and treating others with respect through kindness and sharing.
“While sitting in a dog park before Leo’s premature birth, it dawned on me that several of the lessons I wanted him to learn one day were instinctive behaviors I noticed within our two pups, Jetson and Jordan.”
Through the lessons that children are exposed to in storybooks, they can begin to develop self-awareness of their own emotions. As children begin to resonate with their favorite book characters, they begin to recognize their own “big” feelings. This is also an excellent time for parents to take advantage of the lessons that their kids are reading about. You can start the conversation by asking things like: “Have you ever felt a feeling like the boy is in this book? What would you say to him to make him feel better?”
Teach the Importance of Donating and Community
Oftentimes, many children’s reads support a philanthropic initiative through its book sales. This is an excellent opportunity to explain to your child the importance of giving back to different communities, and what it means to donate money or books to people in need. In the case of Pups to Grown Ups, the ones who are in need of money and resources are actually pets. Animal shelters are constantly under challenged conditions as they work to land homes for pups of all ages and sizes. Economic pressures, staffing shortages, or scarcity of resources create stressful conditions for animals who rely on these important locations. From Pups to Grown Ups is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from its sales to shelters in need to make sure that every pup finds their forever home.
Foster Your Child’s Imagination and Creativity
Remember when you thought giants lived in the sky and beanstalks grew from little lima beans planted in the ground? It sounds silly to think about now, but at one point, we all believed that fictitious tales were based on true stories. Don’t forget that your little ones are in their primal years for cognitive development through creativity and “dream big” thinking. Expose them to out-of-the-box ideas through stories that allow them to use their imagination. A perfect example of this takes place in From Pups to Grown Ups. In the story, two shih tzu puppies narrate growing up with their new baby brother, and share the lessons that they learn as a trio. Come on, who doesn’t wish that their dogs could talk?!
Reading to your child, especially sharing the story of From Pups to Grown Ups, has a profound impact on their development, whether it is through exposure to new vocabulary, stimulation of their imagination, or providing an overall bonding experience.
