Benefits of Parents Reading for Themselves
Should Parents Read for Themselves
“Read?! Who has time to read? My schedule is too busy to read.” This is what most parents think about reading.
That is what I thought, even up until last year, but then I took a good look at how I was filling my day. Maybe instead of scrolling through my social media accounts for 30 minutes at a time, watching reruns of Grey’s Anatomy, or instead of hitting snooze I could become more intentional with my time. So that’s what I did.
Benefits of Parents Reading
Sets A Good Example-As parents, we are supposed to set a good example for our children. So, what’s the better example, your child seeing you read a book or your child seeing you scroll through your phone? This question was my biggest inspiration for helping motivate me to start reading. I want my children to love reading and choose books over TV, but my actions need to match my words if I want them to follow suit.
Mental Stimulation-I remember when I was a new mom, my baby wasn’t talking yet, and my husband was at work I sometimes felt like my brain cells were dying by doing the same tasks each and every day (don’t get me wrong, I love my time at home). I felt like I needed some kind of mental stimulation to help me get through the day—little did I know reading was a good solution.
The brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy and engaged. Reading is a great workout.
Stress Reduction-The stress seems to melt away when you get lost in a great story. A well written book or engaging article keeps you focused on what you are reading, letting the stress fade away and allowing you to relax.
Knowledge-Everything you read fills your brain with new bits of information. You get to benefit from someone else’s experiences, teachings, and learning. Think about all of the time and research they put into writing this book, and now you get to learn all of their wonderful knowledge in a short book.
Vocabulary Expansion-The more you read, the more words you are exposed to which will eventually find their way into your vocabulary. Being well-spoken is great for any profession. Being able to confidently speak to higher-ups can boost your self-esteem.
Memory Improvement-When you read a book you have to remember the characters, plots, twists, history, facts, etc., but brains are able to do this with ease. Every new memory you make creates new synapses (connection) or strengthens existing ones, which helps short-term memory recall.
Improved Focus and Concentration-Our attention is drawn into a million different directions these days—kids, phone, emails, cooking, work, etc. We tend to over multi-task. But when you read a good book, all of your attention is focused on what you are reading.
Personal Growth-Reading about topics that will help improve your self-confidence, parenting, marriage, eating habits, etc. will allow you to expand your mind to new ideas and open up the opportunity for self-improvement or even family improvement.
In short summary, YES, parents should read books for themselves. It provides so many opportunities to grow, relax, gain knowledge, and set a good example. But our lives are busy and there are only 24 hours in a day, so when do I read? Next week, I’ll share some ways to find time in your busy day to enjoy a good book.
