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Parenting

14th Apr 2019

Children who are read to from birth know a million more words by the time they start school

Trine Jensen-Burke

Growing up, our day would always end with my mum or dad reading a story to me and my little sister.

We would either all pile into the big bed, or, as my sister and I were sleeping in bunk beds, whichever parent was on reading duty that evening, would just sit on the floor beside the bottom bunk and read a story or, as we got little older, one chapter of whatever book we were in the middle of before it was lights out and time for sleep.

This was our bedtime routine every night, for as long as I can remember. And so it was only natural that, when I had children myself, I would keep this lovely tradition up. From my children were babies, we always read stories at night. At the moment, we all get under the covers on the “big bed” and read – they each get one story or one chapter if it is a longer book, and these 20ish minutes are hands down my most favourite time a day.

And as it turns out, reading to children isn’t just a lovely way to end the day, it is also, according to a new study, a

One million words – wow.

As well as the actual words in the book, Logan thinks children who who are read to regularly will hear even more words, as parents often

Do YOU read to your children every day? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @herfamilydotie