Children
first entering school are usually anxious to read, but sometimes that
enthusiasm ends by mid elementary years. Reading is required for school work
and often becomes a chore. Nintendo,sports, and time with friends seem more
appealing.
As a
parent who desires a child to read, the advantages of reading are obvious:
Books can be read and reread as many
times as desired. If your preteen shows a strong liking for a book it can be
added to his personal library. If he has a kindle, he can have his whole
library of books with him at once.
Books cover a wide variety of interests.
Everything from butterfly collecting to battleships can be explored through
books. Your child can explore his latest passion whether it is dinosaurs or
dragons, scuba diving or race car driving.
Books can go anywhere. Your child can
spend waiting time for doctor and dentist appointments reading. Books can go on
vacation with you, or in the case of a kindle or other reading device, his
whole library can travel. Free time throughout the day can be spent with a
book.
Books build vocabulary, critical thinking,
and cognitive skills. Your child will be required to use reading throughout
his whole life in a variety of circumstances.
These are
only a few of the obvious advantages of reading. But what do you do if your
preteen doesn't show an interest in reading?
Model reading. Your child will believe
reading is fun more if he sees you reading than if you lecture him about it.
Let him see you reading. Share events in your books.
Read aloud to your child. Too often we
stop reading to children when they can read for themselves. Reading aloud to
your child allows him to enjoy the story without struggling with unfamiliar
words and sentence structure.
Read
at bedtime. If you have children of different ages, try to pick a book
in the middle range that will still excite your older child or read to them at
different times. You can even have the older children read easy books to the
younger ones. If you have both boys and girls, choose books for the boys. A
girl will listen to a boy's story but boy's seldom stick with a story written
for girls. Try to read a chapter a night. Choose a variety of books. If you
start a book and no one enjoys it after two or three chapters, quit. Choose
another book rather than having them sit through one they don't enjoy.
Set
aside time for silent reading. Call out for pizza one night a week and
have everyone in the family silently read their favorite books during that
time. Have a set time, usually around twenty minutes works well, and then have
each child share his book.
Help your preteen find books they will
enjoy. Here are some guidelines for choosing the right
books for your child:
·
What excites him? Hobbies and interests change. Keep current and help
him find books to expand his knowledge in these areas.
·
What special needs is your teen facing? Divorce, moving, making
friends, fears, and other needs are address in a variety of books. Skim books
first to determine if the value system is acceptable to you.
·
What authors or series has your child enjoyed in the past? Find books
by the same authors or similar series.
·
Introduce your child to a wide variety of books such as mysteries,
westerns, poetry and science fiction.
·
Encourage non-fiction categories including self help (friendships,
clothing styles, study skills), biographies, hobbies, science (rockets, cars,
stars) and poetry of different kinds. Respect your child's preferences and
don't insist a book be read.
Select book that tie-in with everyday life.
If you're planning a trip, read about locations you'll visit. Find books to
tie-in with holiday celebrations and special events as well as ordinary events.
Allow your child to arrange a special
reading spot. This can be as simple as a beanbag chair or a pile of throw
pillows in your child's room. Let your child have some say in arranging the reading
spot. Set tempting books and magazines nearby.
Getting
your child hooked on books may seem an impossible task and it won't happen
overnight, but you can make strides toward it. Learning to read for enjoyment
now will give your child a lifetime of adventure through books and develop
lasting skills and interests.
What books will your child read? Here are some lists of the top books for kids. Do you agree with them? What would you add?
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