Encourage Your Child To Read!

Encouraging your child to read is one of the best things you can do for him.   It is such an important skill because it not only takes kids to creative imaginary places, but also helps them achieve in every subject in school from math to geography to science.  Children who come from homes where the parents like to read and have books readily available for their kids, are most likely to become avid readers themselves.  However if you find yourself with a child who is a bit uneasy or insecure about his reading skills and therefore says he doesn’t like to read, here are some tips to help nudge them along in the right direction:

1) Begin reading to your kids from a very young age.  Take at least 20 minutes each day to read them a story.  Snuggling with them on the couch while you are reading to them will give them a sense of warmth and they will associate reading with a safe and happy time. 

2) Model reading for them.  Show them how much you value reading good books by reading in front of them, keeping a library of books on a bookshelf and taking care of your books.

3) Make the early experiences of reading fun for them.  Use different voices when reading the story, act out parts and ask them questions to keep them engaged in the story.

4) Let them choose what they would like to read.  An example comes to mind of when the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books first hit the stores.  Some teachers discouraged the books because “they are so easy to read and don’t have a value”.  However, these books have gained huge popularity and have sold millions of copies.  They are enjoyable and accessible to kids who might otherwise be intimidated by reading.

5) Take your children to the library.  Make going to the library to pick out a book a fun experience.  Get them their own library cards and impart a sense of pride in having a card.   

6) Encourage activities like reading street signs when driving or reading recipes to help your child see the value of knowing how to read in everyday life. 

7) For the reluctant reader, establishing a reading chart with goals and rewards is a successful way to get children to pick up more books. 

8) Make books a topic of discussion in your household.  Talk about your favorite books with your husband.  Talk about what you are currently reading and ask your kids about what books they are enjoying.  Encourage getting reading suggestions from friends their age. 

9) If your child wants to see a new movie coming out that is based on a book, tell them to read the book first and then you’ll take them to the movie. 

10) Pay attention to your child’s interests and research what books are available in the genre.  Make suggestions to your child and try to get them involved in a series that they can continue to read.  For example, my daughter loved historical fiction when she was 8 and couldn’t get enough of all the American Girl Doll stories. 

A strong foundation in reading skills will help your child to succeed in every subject in school.  Reading for fun will take them into exciting new worlds, teach vocabulary and spelling and benefit them throughout life.  For more tips on good parenting skills, visit www.onlineparentclass.com.  Parents can choose between classes from 4 hours – 16 hours in length that are full of the most recent skills to improve relationships with your children, reinforce appropriate behavior and help you to avoid common parenting mistakes.