Suggested by Barbara H:
How can you encourage a non-reading child to read? What about a teen-ager? Would you require books to be read in the hopes that they would enjoy them once they got into them, or offer incentives, or just suggest interesting books? If you do offer incentives and suggestions and that doesn’t work, would you then require a certain amount of reading? At what point do you just accept that your child is a non-reader?
In the book Gifted Hands by brilliant surgeon Ben Carson, one of the things that turned his life around was his mother’s requirement that he and his brother read books and write book reports for her. That approach worked with him, but I have been afraid to try it. My children don’t need to “turn their lives around,” but they would gain so much from reading and I think they would enjoy it so much if they would just stop telling themselves, “I just don’t like to read.”
I think it is always good to cultivate good reading habits from young, so that is why I started reading books to my eldest daughter when she was one (she's turning six this March). Not only does this encourage her into reading but it also creates a closer bond between us.
I also believe there is a book for everyone, and I think it is good start to bring any non-reading children (or teenagers) to a bookstore or a library and get them to choose a book they like and hopefully this will begin their passion for reading.
What about you? Do you have any other suggestions/recommendations that you could share?
Posts
Totally agree with you.There is a book meant for everyone now-a-days :)
Heres mine
http://icejewel.blogspot.com/2010/02/booking-through-thursday-2.html
Happy reading :)
Yes, definitely something out there for everyone.
I think non-fiction about an interest would be good for non-reading teenagers.
Teenagers do like to pick and choose.
Booking Through Encouragement
Nice answer.
Here's Mine
Nice answers, especially since ours were similar. :)
My BTT: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/02/booking-through-thursday-encouraging.html
Same here. I completely agree. I think starting reading from an early age will encourage children and if they see their parents reading, they'll want to do the same. :)
I agree, my mom used to take my sister and I to the library when we were young, she'd let us roam about and I'd find the children's room and it was always such a magical place. I hope to have a daughter of my own to share it with some day.
I posted a Valentines related question at The Crowded Leaf if you're interested in checking it out.
Starting young does help! Little ones really do love picture books (and so did I!)
I had to deal with this with my oldest child.
Here's my response.
I do everything I can to promote reading in the house...trips to library, ordering books for them online, etc. My daughter reads more than I do. But my son has a hard time sitting still long enough. He is "forced" to read various classics in school, but at home we have been reading out loud, and we listen to audio books in the car. He loves that. I guess it is better than nothing!
An early start is best.
Here is mine
I completely agree about there being a book for everyone. Books are so diverse that it really baffles me to see people dismiss them completely!
Thanks, everyone! I hope you all have a great weekend ahead! :)
Oh wow - you are right on. I wrote about this myself recently!
It's really good to start young. If I have my own kids, I would get them started very young as well. There'll be lots of read-togethers with them. Hehehe
Bumbles - Glad we share the same thoughts! :D
Alice - Yes, it's fun and not to mention the bonding. :)
I do agree, its great to encourage reading from a young age.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
I wish I could cultivate the habit in my lil one when it is the right time :)
I'm totally with you on taking a teen to the bookstore. When my young cousin was living with us I used to take her to the bookstore every weekend. At first, she was excited that she'd get to pick a drink from the cafe. I think she felt kind of like one of the grown-ups but before I knew it she was also keeping a TBR list! Love how that worked out :)