Sometimes the list of parental
responsibilities can appear to be overwhelming. Generations ago it seemed
sufficient to feed, clothe, and house a child, providing love and warmth
whenever possible.
But the list of “must-do’s” has grown
through the generations, and the impact of parental involvement has come into
focus.
One item on the list, as most parents
know, is the “must-do” of encouraging reading. And it’s clear that most parents
are doing a good job of encouraging young children to read.
But research shows that their help
plummets drastically once youngsters reach age nine.
A recent study showed that more than half
the parents with children under age nine said they read with their children
every day.
But only 13 percent of parents with older
children reported that they read with them on a daily basis. And shortly after parental
reading involvement drops, a child’s television viewing increases dramatically.
As the late Al Shanker, president of the
American Federation of Teachers, said: “Parents are doing a good job of helping
their children learn to read. But they give up too soon. Once a child begins to
read independently, a parent’s job isn’t over. It simply changes.”
The study found that teachers see a major
gain in reading ability when parents remain involved.
As parents review their “must-do” list of
responsibilities, reading should remain high on that list.
