This persuasive essay argues that children should be required to read more, emphasizing that a love of reading is not innate but must be cultivated — primarily through parental involvement at home. Drawing on Paul Copperman's research and early literacy resources, the paper examines how pleasure reading during the preschool through early elementary years builds foundational skills, enhances academic performance, strengthens parent-child relationships, and prepares children for lifelong learning. The essay also contrasts outcomes for children raised in reading-rich environments against those who lack such exposure, ultimately calling on parents to make books a consistent and joyful part of family life.
Almost all parents want their child to be intelligent, well-rounded, and smart. This is why parents spend considerable time searching for the best schools and expecting teachers to be exceptionally outstanding. However, they often forget that their own attitudes and habits have a great effect on a child's personality. Parents must realize that by making books an essential part of their children's lives, they can heighten their child's wisdom and learning potential more than a schoolteacher alone can ("Early Moments").
It is not by accident, sudden inspiration, or simple encouragement that children learn to read. They learn to read when they are deliberately taught to do so. Reading cannot be described as a phenomenon that occurs naturally; children develop the skill by acquiring component abilities little by little. The love for reading only grows when the home environment emphasizes reading for pleasure.
Children cannot simply be forced or passively encouraged to read. It is only through creating a proper reading environment at home that a child naturally becomes a reader. Along with other forms of recreation, this is an important step in involving a growing child in pleasure reading. It is the duty of parents to read and converse with their children to cultivate a habit and love for books. Every parent must understand that reading to their child prepares the child to learn to read independently. Merely keeping books on shelves — whether bought from shops or borrowed from libraries — is not enough ("Daily Herald" 2).
It is widely accepted that reading to children is beneficial, yet many parents do not fully appreciate the specific advantages reading offers even to toddlers. Exposing children early to the merits of reading helps them navigate an ever-changing modern world ("Early Moments"). In order to raise an eager, fluent, and passionate reader, parents are encouraged to provide an in-home reading program for their child.
The preschool years through fourth grade hold significant importance for developing a child's enthusiasm for reading. It is during this period that foundational reading skills are built — skills that later become second nature. Children are therefore required to read in order to prepare themselves for the future. A passion for reading must be cultivated so that children can understand, interpret, and engage with a wide variety of topics. Supervising a child's educational activities during the school years is a key responsibility of parents who want their child well-prepared for the years ahead (Copperman 223).
The question naturally arises: why is so much emphasis placed on the idea that children should read more? The answer is straightforward. A child adopts habits primarily from the home environment. At school, children are required to read material focused on acquiring information, and subject-area textbooks alone are not sufficient. Outside reading is necessary to fully comprehend and appreciate that material. Textbooks often fail to develop a genuine passion for reading; children may view assigned reading as a laborious, anxiety-inducing task.
Teachers typically ask children to spend an hour or two at home completing assignments. While this is entirely reasonable, it does not in itself provide pleasure. However, a child who has grown up in an environment where pleasure reading is the norm finds even homework more engaging. Students raised in homes where parents read with them for enjoyment are able to extract more meaning from their academic texts and feel comfortable tackling the reading portions of their assignments (Copperman 225). Pleasure reading develops a love for books that is essential for a child's long-term success and intellectual competitiveness.
Children who have no experience of pleasure reading often find themselves ill-equipped to complete assigned tasks. Neglect of reading at home — or too little of it — makes it difficult for children to view reading as an enjoyable challenge. Because they lack reading strategies and skills, they struggle to understand and extract meaning from textbooks. For these children, reading becomes an entirely boring, mind-numbing, and unrewarding process (Copperman 225).
An upbringing in which pleasure reading is not valued proves genuinely disadvantageous for children as they grow older. Such individuals find it difficult to thrive in a contemporary world where information and knowledge have become essential currencies for success.
"Children without reading habits struggle academically"
"Daily reading routines and library visits build habits"
"Reading boosts achievement, communication, and relationships"
Copperman, Paul. Taking Books to Heart: How to Develop a Love of Reading in Your Child. Addison Wesley, 1986, pp. 223–226.
"Engaging Children While Reading Will Help Them Love Books." Daily Herald, 20 July 2008, p. 2.
"Why Reading to Children Is Important." Early Moments: Sharing the Gift of Reading. Sandvik Publishing, n.d.
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