When Martin Luther King Jr. was attending Morehouse College, a professor introduced him to Essay on Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau. This essay, along with many other works of literature, helped to shape one of our nation’s greatest civil rights leaders.
We should never underestimate the importance of reading in the lives of our children. If we want to raise a generation of great leaders who dream big, then we need to encourage them to read. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Red Apple Reading is sharing 5 ways reading helps your child dream big!
1. Broadens Horizons – My children are growing up in a small town in Alabama. We love our community but our world is small. Our travel budget is also small. You get the picture. Encouraging my kids to read is a sure-fire way to help them expand their world. My kids may never see Afghanistan in person, but they can learn a lot about middle-eastern culture by reading Andrew Clement’s, Extra Credit (a touching story about an American girl and Afghan boy who become pen pals).
2. Introduces Role Models – There are several wonderful people in my kids’ lives that I would love for them to emulate. When they read the number of their role models increases exponentially. Whether fictional or real life, books introduce children to characters they can imitate. Positive role models are key to helping kids become big dreamers!
3. Inspires – In order to dream big dreams, kids need to be inspired. Reading about exciting or moving situations fuels a child’s enthusiasm. Make sure your kiddo has plenty of fuel to ignite their passions by encouraging them to read.
4. Cultivates Imagination – If we want to nurture kids who dream big we need for them to have good imaginations. No one ever achieved a dream without imagining something better for themselves or others. While reading kids are imagining what the setting and characters look like; they are picturing the plot as it unfolds in their heads. If we want our future leaders to be imaginative visionaries, let’s encourage them to read as kids.
5. Creates Empathy – Children who read learn how to put themselves in other people’s shoes. Stories help our kids view situations from different perspectives. Learning to empathize with others allows children to see beyond themselves and think big. When my teenager read The Outsiders in 9th grade, she not only experienced a great work of fiction, but she also learned how people from other socio-economic backgrounds experience life.
It may be hard to believe, but one day our children will be the nation’s leaders. Let’s nurture a generation who follows in the footsteps of Dr. King and dreams big dreams.
