An enhanced vocabulary, increased knowledge, better understanding of other cultures, and language skills are some of the benefits one’s child can derive from reading every day.

Several parents visiting the ongoing 40th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), were busy choosing what is best for their children from amongst a whopping display of over 15 million books representing 1.3 million unique titles.

Hasnain and Payam Mustafa from Pakistan highlighted the importance of leading by example. “We are both avid readers and one of us reads to our son every day for 20–30 minutes, irrespective of how busy a day we had. Our child absolutely loves it! On a few occasions we don’t read to him, he will pick up a book and come find us,” shared Payam gushing over her son.

“My older son couldn’t speak, even up until he reached three years of age. So, I started reading aloud to him, making sure he concentrates on the movements of my lips as I spoke the words in the stories. Not surprisingly, it worked. Nine years later, he not only speaks fully without any difficulty but has also formed a close friendship with books. My younger one is 2, and I am already purchasing books with illustrations for him to get him into the habit of reading,” shared Neethu Kuriakose.

Dr. Hibah Ehtesham, a dental surgeon, reads to both her children – Izzah studying in Grade 1 and son Agha – every week, which is part of her parent-child quality-time routine. “I try to introduce them to a little bit of everything through my reading – STEM concepts, games and leisure, and more”.

“My son brought me to SIBF 2021 to buy him a book on Indian scientist and former President, APJ Abdul Kalam, as he learnt in class that this great personality was fond of children. When my kids come to me telling me about things they learned from reading their books, it makes all my effort worth it,” she added.

Research has proved that expectant mothers and fathers who read to their unborn children, households where bedtime stories are a part of a child’s daily routine, and parents who make reading a cherished activity that brings the family together even as their children continue to grow, end up empowering the minds of future generations just by making a positive association with books and reading in the formative years of their life.