Some people think parents should read or tell stories to children, while others think parents need not do that, as children can read books, watch TV or movies by themselves. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

It has been rightly said that ‘There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.’ The question of debate is whether parents should read or tell stories to children or whether children should come to know about stories themselves by reading books or by watching TV or movies. In this essay I intend to discuss both views followed by my opinion.

There are many benefits of reading bedtime stories to children. First of all, it encourages family bonding. In this day and age of hectic lives and busy schedules, reading together is a simple and enjoyable way for parents to take time out and focus on the family. Children also feel wanted and loved. What is more, it moulds children into becoming readers, and this significantly increases the child's potential for academic success as well as lifelong success in general. It also helps children master language development as by listening to stories, children learn pronunciation and vocabulary. It also builds listening skills, increases a child's attention span, and develops the ability to concentrate. It develops children's ability to express themselves more confidently, easily, and clearly in spoken and written terms. It develops and fosters a child's natural curiosity.

Furthermore, it develops creativity and a child's ability to use his own imagination. It expands children's horizons by exposing them to new situations, and teaches them appropriate behavior. Reading children’s stories to children provides the best opportunities for true teaching moments as most of these stories have morals. Reading picture books develops a young child's appreciation for the arts through exposure to many different styles of art and illustrations.

On the other hand, some opine that children should themselves read stories from books or watch them on TV and in movies. This would be much easier for the parents who are too busy nowadays, but then all the above benefits would not ensue. What is more, parents can start telling stories to children much before children can themselves read. Watching TV does not help the child to develop imagination and this may be detrimental in the long run. Moreover, it would be difficult to monitor what children are actually learning.

To sum up, I pen down saying that it is always better for the parents as well as the children, if parents read aloud to their children. This would give them quality time together and loads of other benefits which I have discussed above. I pen off with a famous quote of Robert Mackee “Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.”