Mirrors and Windows

We all know that reading with our children from a young age has many benefits - reading helps builds bonds between parent and child as well as helping language development, but did you know another important reason to start books early is that books provide mirrors and windows to the world around us.

In a world where more and more young children are being diagnosed with Mental Health Disorders, it is so important for them to see themselves and their families reflected in the books they read. Mirrors. Seeing similarities to themselves and family members helps build their confidence and self-esteem. Realising there are others like them, I am enough, I do fit in, it's okay to be me, goes along way in building positive attitudes.

Books also provide an insight into a world that a child and their family may not encounter everyday. Books open doors and windows to new experiences, Ideas and people.

Providing these Mirrors and Windows to children encourages them to notice similarities and differences. In some ways we are the same but in many ways we are different. Different skin tones, different languages, different believes, different likes and dislikes. But we are all human and although we may experience different things there are many experiences we can share together. Opening up differences to children early allows them to be more accepting of the world around them. Different is okay. Inside the Treehouse we are going to have a range of diverse books that are engaging and teach children important truths about the world around us. Helping raise strong, independent, confident and accepting children through amazing literature that tells the moral of the story easily.