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5 tips to introduce your child to the world of literature
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Set your child up for a lifetime of success with these tips on introducing your child to the world of literature. - photo by Emily Ellsworth
All parents know reading is important. It's one of the core parts of our children's education, and children who read at home do better in school. However, for many parents, the idea of reading to their children every day or teaching literacy seems time-consuming and can even feel like a chore. Reading doesn't have to be time consuming or boring.

Plus, literacy doesn't just mean books. There are many ways to get even very young children interested in literature. These activities not only strengthen those skills they'll need once they get into Kindergarten, but they'll also strengthen the bond between children and their caregivers.

Storytelling is one of the fundamental ways we communicate with each other, and it's a gift your children will cherish for years to come. Read on for 5 tips on how to introduce your kids to the wonderful world of literature:

1. Start at the local library

Libraries are more than just places to check-out books. Of course, you can check-out a book, or let your children pick out their own, but where libraries really pay off is in programming. Librarians are a wealth of information and can provide recommendations through booklists or personalized recommendations at the reference desk. For even younger children, many libraries have story time, puppet shows, and other interactive events where children can hear and see stories.

2. Don't stop at print material

For some children, reading words can be difficult. This is true for children with autism, dyslexia, or any other learning disability that makes it hard to process written information. Many of these children become discouraged and turned off to reading. Look to audiobooks, ebooks, or even graphic novels to get even reluctant readers engaged.

Audiobooks often have professional narrators who really bring a story to life. Ebooks, such as the ones found on the Reading Rainbow app, can be read to children as well, allowing them to follow along with the words. Graphic novels show a story in pictures with a few words or dialogue tags. Some parents and even teachers think these types of books don't count as reading, but we think they absolutely do. It's a way to launch reluctant readers into reading and comprehending stories, and if it's what your child wants to read, definitely encourage it.

3. Read to your children, even if they can read by themselves

This isn't a groundbreaking concept, but it requires some effort. The best way to introduce children to literature is to read and discuss books with them. Starting with picture books, try reading a few minutes before bed. When children are older and reading on their own, use this time to read some of your favorites aloud to them.

My dad read us books such as Huckleberry Finn, A Wrinkle in Time, The Hobbit, Treasure Island, and many others. These books were advanced for school-aged children, but having an adult narrator made them accessible for even young readers.

4. Model good reading behavior

Make reading a priority in your own life. A recent Pew study found that half of adults read fewer than five books in the last year. Again, the same rules about format apply here. Whether you are reading a book in print, on a Kindle or iPad, or listening to an audiobook, you are showing your children that reading can be fun for adults as well. While you're reading, talk to your kids about what they too are reading.

5. Let your kids pick their reading material

It's fine to suggest books to your children, but part of reading and literature is exploring what works for each individual reader. It can be tempting to screen reading material for content and to shield younger readers from mature themes. However, young readers are smart and know how to put down a book they don't like or don't feel comfortable with.

Encourage your children to talk to you about what they are reading and to trust their instincts with a book. But, allowing children to read material that is difficult allows them to get the most out of their books and to become more empathetic, compassionate, and intelligent individuals.

There's no magic bullet for reading with children. But the stories they read about in childhood will be some of the most important lessons of their lives.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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