Bedtime Stories Can Boost Your Child's Growth; More Than You Can Imagine

Today children are getting highly exposed to visual stimulation from mobile apps, game consoles, and television–what most cartoons and mobile games offer is constant observations, amusement and information storage, nothing else. Hence at home children rarely get an opportunity to exercise their imaginations, creativity and to learn patience. 

Child psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo says today every parent must built a habit of bedtime storytelling at home. She says storytelling is a simple but a very effective tool to cultivate imagination, teaches life's values and patience at an early stage of a child’s life. Today under better parenting tips - Shivani shares major benefits of bedtime storytelling habit.

a. Improves Bonding

Bedtime storytelling offers an opportunity where parents can give undivided attention to their child. As parents take time out from their hectic schedules to give children quality, undivided attention, this resonates with children -showing them they are important. Reading for and with children, therefore, gives parents the opportunity to establish a strong and nurturing bond. The time spent together also fosters one-on-one communication between parent and the child.

b. Help in Getting a Good Sleep

For better sleep, kids (even adults) should STOP watching any kind of screen - TV, smartphone, tablet, computer; at least half an hour prior going to bed.

Reading bedtime stories fills the gap for those kids who no longer know how to entertain themselves; it can also get them hooked on books and one day they will happily read to themselves before bed if you are busy and the TV has been turned off.

c. Talks about life

Reading bedtime stories offer a wonderful opportunity to teach life’s issues, morals, dangers and wisdom through story’s characters and plots. In a way, reading can shape a child’s character, enhance his/her ability to judge between good & bad and can lay a solid foundation for child’s better future.

d. “Leaders are readers”

Harry Truman once quoted, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”  Remember the development of reading habit begins at home; by developing bedtime reading habit, you are giving your child a great advantage for life’s later years.