Jul
05
How to get my kids interested in reading by themselves?
By
Daylily questioned:
We have been faithfully reading to our kids since they were infants. They like being read to but when they have some idle time they still choose TV, internet shows over books, they have not developed an interest on picking up a book and read it on their own. I wonder if anyone have any tips on how to get the kids read on their own.
Abc You Can Draw
We have been faithfully reading to our kids since they were infants. They like being read to but when they have some idle time they still choose TV, internet shows over books, they have not developed an interest on picking up a book and read it on their own. I wonder if anyone have any tips on how to get the kids read on their own.
Abc You Can Draw
The number one thing is the books have to be really, really fascinating. Also, it needs to be their right reading level. Not too hard, not too simple. They may pick TV and Internet out of habit or just what their friends do. How much do you and your spouse read and the children see you doing it? If you don’t read a ton, they won’t see reading as a pleasurable option.
What I did was started to get them to read with me…. Id read a page then have them read one. It became a habbit…. then I increased the number of pages they read each nite…. til they were reading to me….. Id then read to them and have them read to me.
Set aside time everyday just for reading. You can still read to them, but encourage them to read a page and you read a page, or chapter for chapter. Make the time enjoyable and help your children pick books that interest them and you. If books don’t seem to interest them try magazines. My boy got hooked Sports Illustrated for Kids.
You don’t say how ancient your kids are but most kids in the U.S. see far too much TV and Games. If you have a TV with parental guidance chip, program it not to work in certain parts of the day. At any rate limit the time the TV is on for them. Most parents today have no control over the TV. Would you let your kids just disappear and come home anytime they pleased? Yet you let their minds be absorbed by the TV set and return when they wish. I am convinced the TV is raising a generation of logicless, imagination starved, idiots, who are really media educated.
Set aside some fascinating excellent books preferably that have subjects each child is interested in. Tell them that there are rewards for reading the books and penalties for not reading. Reckon of some small rewards and something they have to do like pull weeds if they don’t(assuming you have a yard) something really dull. Set up a chart to show what each child has read and get them in competition. Set goals for each child by age. Question questions about what they have read later, verify how well they read. Reading will become second nature. My mother told me that if you can read you can go anywhere in the universe and know anything. The thoughts above about alternately reading to them and getting them to read to you is a excellent thought.
When I grew up there wasn’t much TV. I am convinced that one or two programs a day are enough for kids. When I was in high school I read the whole World Book Encyclopedia A to Z. ?You’re the adult take charge.