A reading culture refers to habitual and regular reading of books and information material. Reading is key to learning new things and explore new ideas and connecting the ideas to what one already knows. The family, being the point where most people tend to acquire character and personality, is a vital tool if the development of a reading culture in Kenya is to be achieved.

In a family, both the parents and the children have to coherently play their roles in order for a reading culture to be developed. Parents will mostly play the role of a guide, instructor, and teacher while the children will play the role of a student, to learn and make the most out of the reading sessions. In line with the need to develop a reading culture in Kenya at the family level, this essay expounds on various ways in which this may be achieved.

Determining a reading goal is the first most crucial step. Both the parents and the children must have decided on what knowledge they need to acquire. In most cases, reading is aimed at getting ideas from print or written materials. However, different people read for different reasons such as for entertainment. Fiction reading improves creativity and widens the imagination of the children. In some cases, depending on the themes brought out in the book, it helps children develop empathy. Factual reading is more intellectual and academic. Therefore, when beginning a reading culture, it is important to clearly define a reading goal.

After defining a reading goal, provide suitable reading materials based on the topics covered by the goal. It is important for parents to get their children’s opinions in order to avoid a lack of interest from the children or rise of conflicts as the parents force the children to read while they are not interested. For a start, parents could opt for fiction books that are in series. This is aimed at keeping the children interested to read and know what the next book in the series is about. By the end of one or two series, the children are now able to concentrate on books for a long time which is another step in developing a reading culture.

Showing support to children as they try to develop reading a reading culture is key to the success of this vision. Parents should encourage all forms of reading as different forms are aimed at specific objectives. For example, skimming which is aimed at getting the gist of the material or the text or scanning aimed at finding specific facts in the text. In-depth, reading will be achieved as both the parents and children progress further in developing a reading culture. Reading aloud should be encouraged to improve vocabulary and language skills. Parents should read with their children or read to the younger ones. They should also be seen to be frequent readers thus act as role models. Giving tokens every now and then if positive improvement is noted in a child goes a long way in encouraging the child to keep up the spirit.

Parents should limit screen time for their children but should offer a suitable alternative such as having a reading hour at home. During this time, the family may gather in a suitable room and be engrossed in their books. Parents may later review with their children what they have read by asking them to present the new ideas to them and also answer questions that the children might have, hence ensuring the productivity of the session. This, therefore, emphasizes the need for creating a home library which is a special reading place that is quiet and cozy. In this way, parents invest in tools that encourage reading.

Make connections between books and life. Learning how to apply knowledge and ideas to real-world applications goes a long way in improving reading culture. If one finds a solution to a problem through reading, he or she will automatically seek new ideas that will enable them to solve more problems, thus they will read more and widely.

Parents should, therefore, help their children to relate the ideas to life as they are more experienced. This teaches children about the world about them. Lastly, enrolling the children in book clubs or getting them reading partners encourages them to read as doing it with others makes reading fun.

Children may also share and exchange opinions, engage in healthy debates therefore in the long run, widening their scope of approaching different issues. This is beneficial as the children get to improve their creative thinking and their concentration too. They are also encouraged to read more in order to challenge their friends by giving strong solid points when a debate ensues in one of the reading sessions.
These are some of the ways in which a family can develop a reading culture in Kenya. Parents should be there for their children throughout the journey in order to give them continuous support. Reading is beneficial as it will also improve service provision in the society as professionals in the various fields will be more equipped with facts concerning their profession.

Therefore, families are encouraged to develop reading cultures due to its numerous benefits.