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Raising Children Who Love Writing
by Melvin Carwin
http://www.readywriting.com

I am a writer. Even before I was paid to write, writing was
a vital part of my life. Words are living things to me, and
puzzles that can be fit together in many ways to get across
whatever meaning I choose to impart.

The single most important thing you can do to foster a love
of writing in a child is read to them. Reading aloud will
stimulate their imagination and attune their ears to rhythm.
If you recite nursery rhymes and read to them often from
works by such eminent wordsmiths as Dr. Seuess, you'll be
making it easy for them to find the natural rhythm of
language when they begin to attempt their own writing.

Play silly word games with them frequently. Rhyme names and
play with sounds. Encourage them to make up their own words
and rhyme sounds. You can start doing this from the moment
they're born. It will make them aware from the very start of
the sound and shape of words.

Don't be afraid to babytalk. Baby talk has picked up a bad
rap in recent years, but most child development experts
agree that those silly, high-pitched nonsense words that you
prattle away with are a necessary development stage in
teaching infants and children to hear tone and expression in
words.

How many words are in ...? Challenge your child's
flexibility. Print his name in block letters across the top
of a sheet of paper, then challenge him to make as many
words as he can from the letters. If you have more than one
kid, make it a cooperative effort, or let them compete. Is
his name all used up? Pick a word from the dictionary or the
newspaper. It's all good. Any activity that makes words fun
will make writing more natural.

Classified Ad Tales Plotting is an area of writing that
children often find daunting. This activity can turn it into
fun and spark imagination. Flip the newspaper open to the
classified ads and pick one out that looks interesting.
Start the ball rolling by reading the ad aloud, then
wondering, "I wonder why he's selling his lawnmower? (or
piano, or fishing tackle)" Encourage creative thinking by
rewarding even the most absurd tales. In fact, the more
absurd the better. Who knows? Maybe his Great Aunt Katie
from Canarsie did just move to Kuala Lumpur and leave her
favorite goat in his care.

Keep playing word and writing games as they grow up. Use
them to encourage creative exploration of story ideas and
problem solving. Some of the favorite games that my own
children enjoyed are:

Encourage proper grammar. Children will use slang among
their friends, but it's vital that they know proper grammar
and word use. Gently correct their grammar when they speak
to you, and praise them when they correct their own. As
unimportant as it may seem, good grammar is a vital tool in
writing. A person who can't write with proper grammar will
find themselves locked out of many professions.

I Wonder Why... Children are natural storytellers, but they
tend to lose their facility with making up plots as they
begin to understand the natural processes of the world. One
way to encourage them to keep their creativity is to play
this "I Wonder Why..." game. Just open the newspaper to the
classified ads and pick one out. Read it out loud and then
say, "I wonder why he's selling that..." whatever it is.
Encourage the wildest reasons imaginable. Chances are the
baby just outgrew the crib, but isn't it more fun to imagine
a magic brownie who leaves a new identical crib every
morning?

As I said, I didn't set out to raise children who love
writing. I simply did the things that came naturally, the
things that my mother did with me. The results, though, are
very telling. My daughter began her own writing career at
the age of eight as editor of her school newspaper. She
recently graduated with a degree in screenwriting, and
maintains a widely read and syndicated blog. My son writes
songs for a popular local rock group. Even my youngest son,
at 11, is a published writer. Instilling a love of language
and words from a young age is the very best way to raise
children who love writing. I know. I have the proof.

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