A study of high school students sends a clear message: Keep reading.

Reading with children now can lead to better attitudes about school later. High school students whose parents read to them very frequently when they were young work harder than those whose parents didn’t read to them.

Nearly two-thirds of high school students (64 percent) with read-aloud parents say they usually make their best effort in school. More than half the kids whose parents didn’t read to them (51 percent) say they “just get by.” Not surprisingly, children of parents who read to them earn higher grades. Most (64 percent) say they earn mostly A’s or B’s in school. Kids whose parents didn’t read to them say they mostly earn B’s or lower.

The benefits of reading are also seen in other areas. Children of readers seem to have more confidence in their ability to make decisions. For example, 73 percent say they very frequently think they’ve made the right choices in their friends. Only about half (52 percent) the kids whose parents didn’t read with them feel they’ve made a good choice in friends.

So if you’re looking for a way to give your child a boost, keep reading. The time you spend sharing stories now will pay benefits for years to come.

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