March 31, 2006 7:13 PM
Parenting Q & A: Reluctant Readers
A reader writes:
I have seen so many articles on encouraging boys to read, as if boys are the
only "reluctant readers" out there.
In my family, it's my daughter, age 10, who needs the encouragement. Her
big brother will read anything he can get his hands on. We've always read
to our children when they were little, read plenty ourselves, surrounded
them with books, magazines, newspapers, and taken them to the bookstore and
library--so the example and opportunity have always been there.
I know that so many other skills and abilities have their root in reading
and I'd like to encourage my daughter to read more. What am I missing?
My reply:
Some kids just don't read with the same enthusiasm as other members of the family. And that's a big disappointment to parents who love to read themselves.Tripp and I love books and the only thing that limits us is just not much time. When we went on vacation to the beach last fall, we zipped through so many books I was amazed. That's what our life would be like if we didn't have work and kids! I continue to be grateful that I married a man who loves to read. Our book habit means that there are way too many books in our house and I've taken to selling the lesser-loved among the old to make way for the new.
Of our 8 readers, 4 adore reading to the same degree as mom and dad, two enjoy reading, but not passionately and it's not their number one choice of things to do, and 2 would be happy to never read a book.
I have never understood how the non-readers turned out that way. They grew up in a home surrounded by books and being read to from classics like David Copperfield and Les Miserables. All enjoyed being read to. But some just never felt compelled to read on their own.
With time I've come to realize they have a different style of learning. My oldest son (now 22) is very physical and I think sitting still and reading just wasn't for him. Maddy loves stories and has no trouble studying Shakespeare, but does not like to read recreationally. She does love to listen though - a true auditory learner.
I have found the Adventures in Odyssey CD's to be a real gift for expanding her mind the way reading would. They're loaded with great vocabulary, accurate history and lessons in logic and human relationships. The writers are terrific and the episodes are never boring. Maddy listens to them as she goes to sleep at night, the same way we would read ourselves to sleep.
Also not to be missed are the Focus Radio Theater CD's by Focus on the Family, which include A Christmas Carol, Les Miserables, Little Women, Chronicles of Narnia and more - all with top-rate actors and production values. Maddy loves these as well.
So with her, it's not an aversion to words and drama - just a need to hear them spoken. Providing audio resources is a way to keep up her vocabulary and thinking in spite of her lack of interest in reading.
And don't forget the library as a source of audio books! And there's at least one place that works like Netflix - you pay a certain amount monthly at Simply Audio Books.
And now I'll bet MommyLife readers have some more great ideas.
Posted in Books, Homeschooling, Mothering, Teens and Tweens | Permalink
Comments
If bedtime is for example 9:00, once they're all tucked in and prayed over, tell them they may read until 9:30 or else just go to sleep. They will suddenly love to read. I even let my four year old "read" for a little while all by herself after I have put her to bed.
Posted by: Monika | April 1, 2006 1:35 PM
