If you have a reluctant reader at home, you know the struggle to get them to read. I was there, and it was a struggle!
I am happy to report that I now have a son who loves to read; yes, that is right, he loves to read. It was not easy, but I kept at it. Below are some of the reading tips that worked for us.
Hopefully, some of these tips will work for you, but remember that consistency is key. I would also say that every child is different, and there will be many trial and error moments.
How to Help Your Child Love to Read
The Reading Level
The best advice I heard was to try books below my child's reading level. I wish I could remember where I read this or who told me this, but it worked like a charm.
It is ok to have your child read below their expected reading level. Throw out all preconceived notions of what level they should be reading. The reluctance often comes from something being too hard or seeming too hard.
I picked up a bunch of level one and two early readers like the one below. They were perfect.
Embrace the Graphic Novel
Today there are graphic novels for every age group, subject, and alternative editions to popular books. They are the best thing to happen to young and old reluctant readers. In my opinion, it doesn't matter the format you are reading, as long as you are reading. MY SON WAS HOOKED when I brought this hilarious graphic novel home for young readers. He laughed so hard and could not wait until the next book came out. He was excited to read for the first time.
Meet The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey.
This series from Scholastic is still my son's favorite series. Books like these are perfect for the child that hates to read. Find something easy to read and funny. It is the ideal combo.
Do Not Use Reading as Punishment
I learned this one the hard way. I am guilty of saying, "if you don't pick up your toys, you will have to read for ten minutes." Big Mistake! The idea is to make reading fun, not to give your child one more reason not to want to read.
I quickly learned to push books as rewards for specific achievements. I also tried to make trips to the library a treat.
(My only warning is to beware of library fines if you are like me and forget to return books on time.)
Read Aloud
This is the one that took time and consistency. Reading was already a part of our bedtime routine, and reading aloud to my kids was the nightly expectation. To get my son to read, I started taking turns reading pages with him. I tried to make it fun by using funny voices or accents. It taught him that reading could be so much fun.
The only issue I sometimes had was that my kids would get wound up instead of getting sleepy and ready for bed. Bedtime was not ideal for this activity, but it was the only time we could carve out time to read during the week.
Let Them Choose
My kids have always had distinct personalities, and I figured out early on that letting them choose what they read made a difference. They also loved asking the librarian for book recommendations. (Forget the fact that mom was a book buyer for ten years, but whatever)
They loved coming home with choices that were all their own. However, we did end up with a lot of toilet humor-type books. Well, hey, as long as they were reading, right?
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