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Hug your child this heart day

February 14, 2006 2:36 am

VALENTINE'S DAY gives us a great excuse to cuddle and kiss the children in our lives --as if any excuse were needed! But did you know that these warm and loving interactions contribute to children's reading skills?

New research on brain development tells us that babies are born with millions of brain cells, but they are not yet connected the way they are in adults. These connections, or synapses, are formed through sensory experiences--touch, taste, smell, hearing, seeing. They are what make it possible for children to learn. High levels of the hormone serotonin, produced when children are loved, cuddled and cared for, enhance these connections.

In other words, brain research confirms what loving parents and caregivers have always known: children who are loved and happy find it easier to learn.

"Rethinking the Brain" by Rima Shore and "Right from Birth: Building Your Child's Foundation for Life" by Craig and Sharon Ramey summarize this research and its implications for emotional growth, social skills, communication, and early learning of children under five.

Dorothy Butler is a mother, grandmother, and bookstore owner whose short, practical guide for parents, "Reading Begins at Home," has helped thousands of parents to create successful learning environments for their young children. She reassures parents that they don't need expensive equipment or big blocks of time to encourage preschool learning. Instead, she advises, use everyday opportunities like opening the mail, visiting the grocery store, doing chores to talk with your child and expand her world.

As she wisely says, "If a child is to learn to read, it matters far less that a home should have carpet on the floor and two cars in the garage than that there should be people there who love him."

"Starting Out Right, A Guide to Promoting Children's Reading Success" describes the key elements that research shows children need to become good readers. Compiled by the Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, this practical guide tells parents about the most important language activities for very young children and then guides them through reading success in preschool and childcare settings.

Parents of young children will be especially interested in the section on what to expect in reading instruction in kindergarten through third grade. A final chapter addresses reading difficulties and how to prevent them. Armed with this research, it's time to sit down and read with your children. Don't worry about how long you read, just be sure to keep it enjoyable for both partners. Wendy Watson's "A Valentine for You" is a good choice to recite to all ages, from babies on up. She includes both traditional and original rhymes, such as this one: "My love is like a cabbage/ Divided into two./ The leaves I give to others/ But the heart I give to you." Every page is decorated with humorous watercolor drawings in shades of pink and red.

Kevin Henkes celebrates the sweet side of Valentine's Day in "Lilly's Chocolate Heart." By the end of the day, Lilly has only one chocolate heart left, so she decides to save it. But no place seems quite right, not behind the radiator, not under her bed, so she bows to the inevitable and pops it into her mouth. "Perfect," Lilly says.

No matter which book you choose, make sure the child in your lap feels safe and loved, and you'll know you're headed down the right road to reading.

You can phone CAROLINE PARR, coordinator of children's services for Central Rappahannock Regional Library, at 540/372-1160 or e-mail her at
Email: cparr@crrl.org.