This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about some good gift ideas for the people on your holiday list. We’ve been talking about buying toys that are safe and age-appropriate for children and that send healthy messages about life. There’s one category of gifts that can help your children intellectually and emotionally: books!

Dr. Pete Stavinoha, a pediatric psychiatrist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says reading helps children develop language skills. But the important gift that needs to come with the book is your time. Reading to or with your children on a regular basis gives them a sense of emotional security and helps them learn to see the value in books and reading. So don’t stop by wrapping a book and putting it under the tree. Make a commitment to read daily to or with your children, and visit libraries and bookstores together to select books.

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/pediatrics to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in pediatrics.