Reading Together: How Books Become a Bridge Between Children and Parents
By the scientific team of “Together for Children”
In a daily life full of screens and fast rhythms, reading with children can offer moments of connection, calm, and imagination. Reading is not just a tool for learning; it is an experience that can bring young and old closer together, create routines of safety, cultivate skills, and open windows into different worlds. But how can daily contact with books benefit children? And how can parents strengthen this relationship without stress or pressure?
Benefits of Reading for Children and Adolescents
Contact with books can begin as early as infancy. The earlier a child starts hearing stories, the more familiar they become with narration and reading. These early experiences gradually build a positive attitude toward books. Scientific observational studies have shown that consistent exposure to books is linked to benefits in language development and cognitive skills. The preschool years (0–3 years) are considered especially critical for language development, and reading books during this period can be highly supportive. From the very first year of life, a connection has been documented between reading and faster vocabulary growth.
Beyond language skills, reading offers opportunities for emotional connection: many children encounter different emotional states through stories, something that can strengthen empathy and emotional expression. Reading also develops the ability to concentrate and follow a narrative—skills that are useful in other areas of learning as well. For many children, reading has a soothing effect, helping with stress regulation or sleep. At the same time, when reading is shared with a parent, the emotional bond is reinforced, building a framework of trust and shared experience. Finishing a book—or even just a story—can boost a child’s self-esteem, giving them a sense of achievement and competence.
Guidance for Parents: How to Encourage a Love of Reading
- Start early: Your voice and presence are important even from infancy. Even if the child does not understand the content, they enjoy the rhythm, the attention, and the closeness.
- Duration is not the point: You don’t need to read for long or finish many books. Even a few minutes each day are valuable, and every effort counts.
- Make it pleasant for everyone: Reading works best when it is done with a positive mood and is enjoyable for both children and adults.
- Let the child choose: When children have a say in selecting the book, their motivation and interest are more likely to grow.
- Set expectations according to age: Not all children can sit and read for long—and they don’t need to. Attention and participation vary by age. Let’s accept the moment’s possibilities without pressure.
- Limit distractions: If possible, put phones and screens aside to be fully present in the process.
- If you have more than one child: You can read together. Older children can participate by reading to the younger ones.
- Create a good atmosphere: If there are tensions or disagreements, try to keep them outside reading time.
- Books as part of the environment: Leave some books on the table or shelf so the child can see them, pick them up, and explore them whenever they wish.
- Encourage storytelling: Let the child retell the story or create their own stories inspired by the reading.
- Offer variety: Besides books, magazines or newspapers on topics of interest to the child (such as sports or animals) can also be beneficial.
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A Few Words About the 115 25 Helpline & the Counseling Center of “Together for Children”
Since 2009, the 115 25 Helpline of “Together for Children” has been supporting parents, educators, and teenagers. It provides free counseling support.
The vision behind the Helpline is to offer psychological support and empowerment for parents, educators, and adolescents in relation to the concerns and difficulties they face in daily life, and to strengthen the wider family and support networks of children and teenagers.
The 115 25 Helpline is staffed by an experienced scientific team and trained volunteers under continuous clinical supervision.
Confidentiality is strictly maintained: all calls are named, confidential, and not recorded.
Beyond phone sessions, the 115 25 Helpline is complemented by the Counseling Center, which offers services either online or in person:
• A complete cycle of counseling sessions
• Parent support groups
• Psycho-educational seminars on specific topics for parents, educators, and teenagers
All services of the Helpline and Counseling Center comprehensively support families at a preventive and early intervention level.
In-person services take place at the premises of “Together for Children,” while psycho-educational seminars are held in schools and organized groups nationwide.
All of the above services are provided FREE OF CHARGE across Greece.
Calls to the 115 25 Helpline are toll-free from any mobile or landline provider.
