Op-Ed: Dr. Stephen Kenny
As a pediatrician, I regularly advise parents on sleep routines, nutrition and vaccines. But one of the most important — and sometimes unexpected — recommendations I make is to read aloud to children every day.
It’s not just a feel-good bedtime ritual: it’s an evidence-based activity that supports brain development, strengthens the bonds between parents and children and lays the foundation for future success. With World Book Day on April 23, it’s a good time to reflect on why such a simple act can be so powerful.
A child’s brain grows most quickly before the age of five. Frequent exposure to language at this age (particularly through reading aloud) is strongly linked to improvements in vocabulary, attention span and social-emotional development. Children who are read to regularly perform better in school, have stronger communication skills and are more likely to develop a lifelong love of learning.
But not every child has access to books, and not every family knows about the benefits of reading aloud. Programs like the USA-based Reach Out and Read and community efforts like the Bermuda Youth Library’s 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge help to reduce this barrier. During my pediatric residency, where I trained in Reach Out and Read, I learned how literacy guidance and books could be integrated into routine well-child visits. Seeing how parents responded to this encouragement — and how children lit up at having their own books — was a turning point in how I viewed literacy’s role in healthcare. It was also a major inspiration to continue advocating for early literacy in my own practice.
It’s not just about the cognitive benefits: reading together also supports a child’s social development by building important emotional connections. In those quiet moments, snuggled up with a parent or caregiver and a book, children feel secure, loved and engaged. This sense of closeness helps shape how they learn, communicate and build relationships throughout life.
Those types of experiences aren’t just nice-to-haves: they’re part of what every child deserves in their early years.
So, this World Book Day, I encourage parents and caregivers across Bermuda to pick up a book and read aloud. You don’t need to be a literacy expert to do it: all you need is your voice, your presence and a few minutes of shared attention each day. It’s enough to make a lasting difference in your child’s life.
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