Is it really difficult to raise kids who love to read?
It has been estimated that 1 out of 5 adults lack the basic reading skills they need to function daily, while 13% of all 17-year-olds are functionally illiterate. These statistics are a misfortune. They are made up of people who are unemployed or underemployed because they cannot fill out an application form. They are people who will never know what it is to read a newspaper or a magazine.
But you can make a difference—especially in the lives of the children. You can perk up your children’s reading skills and instill in them love of reading simply by following seven steps on how to raise kids who love to read:
· 1. Read well with your kids. There’s no more effective way to get your children to read than this. And preschool children aren’t the only ones who benefit—school-age children can be helped as well. Set a regular time, but don’t make it too long. Fifteen to twenty minutes is long enough, especially when starting to read. Take time to explain new words or to admire a picture.
· 2. Have a wider range of reading materials. Make sure your kids have both a number and variety of things to read—books, magazines, newspapers, etc. Give them to your kids for birthday presents. Keep a stack in the bathroom, as well as next to the couch, in the car, or wherever your kids spend time. And if possible, make sure your kids have a bookshelf and a reading lamp in their room. A subscription to a favorite magazine is also a good idea.
· 3. Be a good model. If children see their parents read they learn that reading is important. And this goes for both parents, by the way. Since boys often have trouble learning to read, it’s all the more important for them to see their father or some other significant male reading—and reading to them.
· 4. Limit on television and computer.Television and computer can diminish a child’s creativity and stifle his imagination. So set some limits. No, you don’t have to get rid of your TV and computer completely. List the shows and games your kids want to watch and play. Make sure the TV and computer are turned off the rest of time.
· 5. Reward reading. Help your child establish a goal—whether of the number of books he wants to read or the amount of time he wishes to spend in reading. A child who reads with confidence, for instance, may decide to read one book a week for the next three months; a child who reads slowly may set a goal of reading for 20 minutes a day, four days a week. At the same time as you set goals, come up with rewards for meeting them. The best reward any parent can give a child, of course, is attention. Talk about the book he is reading. Ask also some questions.
· 6. Support reading programs in school. Many schools have reading incentive programs or contests. If your child doesn’t have, consider starting one. Don’t underestimate the difference you can make to your kids.
Sure, finding time to read to your children is hard, but it’s worth the effort. Reading opens doors to the wonders of the world; you can go anywhere, learn anything, and meet anyone through books. When you instill in your kids love of reading, you give them wings on which to soar in search for their dreams. How to raise kids who love to read is not really hard to do.
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