5 Secrets to Raising a Bookworm from the Core

5 Secrets to Raising a Bookworm from the Core

1. Start giving him books as soon as he can hold something.

Babies start to be able to hold toys and objects from the 3rd month onwards. They can also start to be accompanied by the tiniest books along with their rattles. Baby-specific bite-able or fabric books can also be an inseparable part of your stroller, not just at home.

2. Let books be a part of your games and toys

Does it seem like they are just having fun with toys? If you think so, then there is something completely wrong. Bookworms can laugh out loud at a funny book, just like when you watch a comedy movie. Books open doors to different worlds. That's why if your baby sees the book as part of the game and not as a task... Okay, you've raised an unstoppable bookworm.

3. Make books a part of your bedtime routine

How did you create your sleep routine? For example, when bedtime approached, we would dim the lights, play calm music and have him take a bath. Then, he would put on his pajamas, read a book for a minute or two, then have a breastfeeding session and sleep. At this point, the reading part is only momentary. Don't have too high expectations. Babies have very short attention spans, sometimes they won't even stop for a second or two. It's okay though. Even a few seconds is enough at first. Because the goal here is not for him to read books, but to make his ears and heart feel pleasant emotions when he grows up.

By the way, although some things may seem very utopian, a sleep routine is really important. If you can achieve this, you will get into a routine much sooner and share the same house with a calm baby, I am telling you.

4. Let the book be a part of your life

Books should be a part of your life, not just for him, but for you as well. If you continue to read at every opportunity you find, you will be setting an example for him not only with your words but also with your actions.

Carry your books everywhere you go. This should also be valid for everyone who cares for the baby (father, grandmother, nanny, etc.). Also, when book characters accompany you during your sleepless nights, your loneliness and the darkness of the night can be reduced a little.

5. Let books be a beautiful part of your home and decor

Have books in your living room, not behind closed doors, in short, wherever your baby can see them.

At first, when our baby had colic attacks at night, my wife would take him to the books in her arms and we would count the titles of the books together. Then, when he started to crawl and stand up, we emptied the bottom 3 shelves and made a special section for baby books. Not only did our precious ones become a little more protected, but his books took their place on his own shelves.

Bonus: At first, your baby may misunderstand the bookworm thing. Let him eat the books when it is safe :) But no matter what, do not yell at him, do not speak loudly or with tension while he is reading a book. Since your baby cannot understand why you react, he may associate any negative reaction with reading a book.

Duygu Uzun; Mother of an 8-year-old son with a paw, 6-year-old and 3-month-old daughters, and 2 fish... In her professional life, she is a human resources specialist, an adult education specialist, a gender equality activist, and in her amateur life, she is the writer of troubles, worries, and what she has learned while raising a human being...