I was recently talking with a mom friend as we were waiting for our kids to be released from school at the end of the day. She was telling me how her son hates to read. She said he only wants to read picture books, but his teacher (her son is in the same third grade class as one of my twins) was insisting that he try chapter books. Her son is resistant and the daily reading homework assignment has become a daily battle. My friend said she felt like she’s tried everything and nothing was working. If you have read any of the other articles in this series, you will know that my first suggestion to her (and to anyone having this problem) is to start by reading with your child.
If you are a grandparent or loving aunt or uncle looking in on the situation and wanting to help, or a frustrated parent, there are a few purchases you can make to help make reading more enticing. You may want to consider these when you consider sending a birthday or holiday gift. In The Read-Aloud Handbook, author Jim Trelease talks about what he calls the 3 b’s: three things you can buy that will help your child read better. Want to know what they are?
1-Books
Buy books! Trelease says that it is extremely important for kids to own some books of their own. Let your child have a book that is just his. Let him write his name in it. This is why I included a “This book belongs to” page at the front of Oggie, so a child could write his/her name in the book and truly own it. We love to buy books from our local used book store, school book fairs, and occasionally through Amazon or Costco. Santa brings a book for my children in their stockings. The Easter Bunny often includes a book in their Easter baskets. For a recent birthday, I gave my son a note that read, “Tomorrow you and Mom will go to the bookstore to buy the second Michael Vey book!” He was so excited! We had a great time walking through the mall together (I let him lead me with a map of the mall) to go to a different bookstore and we spent a LOT of time looking at all of the beautiful books on the shelves. There is something magical about looking at all of the different books on the shelves of a bookstore or library and picking some up and leafing through them. Making the book-buying experience special makes the book even more special. Allowing your child to feel like the book is her very own property is icing on the cake!
2-Basket
Make books more accessible to your kids. Place them in baskets in different areas of the house. I put out a basket of Christmas books last December and those books were much more popular than the books lining the bookshelves across the room.
Trelease says to consider putting books in your child’s bathroom. I tried this with a particular set of board books that I could sanitize regularly when my boys were potty-training, but I think I will wait until my youngest is a bit older before I bring more books into the bathroom area—it just seems like I am asking for trouble. Maybe your situation is different and that’s your call! For me right now, the bathroom is remaining book-less. But we do keep a basket of books in the playroom, too. In the same study I have referenced before the author, Lesley Mandel Morrow, shows that children with the most interest in reading came from homes where books and print were spread throughout the home, not just in one or two places.
3-Bed Lamp
If we want our kids to read in bed, we need to make that more convenient. If a lamp isn’t the solution, maybe a good book light? When you install said light, talk with your child about why you are going to this trouble. You can say something like, “I like to read for a little while after I get in bed. I think you’re old enough now to stay up for a few extra minutes at night to read if you want. If you don’t feel like reading, that’s OK, we’ll just turn off the light at the regular time then.” If your kids want to stay up and feel a bit more grown up, this strategy will help them achieve that goal if they are willing to read to do it. Everyone wins. Just be sure to check 15 minutes later and follow through with turning off the light!
If you haven’t tried throwing a read-a-thon at home yet, I highly recommend trying one. My kids are constantly asking when we’ll do that again! The more we show our kids that reading is a privilege and not a chore, the more they will be willing to read.
