Step 5
Books aren’t just for language.
They’re sneaky little social rehearsals - if you use them that way.
Practise listening and sitting still - even if it’s just one page to start.
Ask questions: “What’s he feeling?”, “What might happen next?”
Respect wandering attention: Stop when they’ve had enough. Come back later.
Finish it silently if you need to (something you really need to). That’s modelling reading too.
Use story-time to talk about emotions, problem-solving, and kindness.
Real-life Wins:
You pause mid-page and ask, “Why do you think he’s hiding?”
and your child says, “Because he’s scared like me when I spilled water at nursery.” That’s the gold.