Thursday, August 2, 2018

Summer Reading Crunch



                                  Photo courtesy of: Kinga Cichewicz@ all_who_wander


When I was at the library the other day I saw parents and children hunting down books assigned for the summer reading break.

Depending on how much time your child has to complete the book, this can be a hassle, especially if they procrastinate.
            
The book may not be in stock at the library or the bookstore and it needs to be reserved (thank goodness for the Nook and Kindle); or your child is sulking about the prospect of trading out their blinking and beeping electronic device for some old prosaic paperback.

The horror!

Ahh, I remember those days with my own children fondly. The bargaining, the time setting, the reward systems, the intense debates.

For those lucky folk pioneering into this new territory of parenthood (or those who've been braving it out for many a year), I would like to pass on what I learned during my struggle to convince my kids that reading can be fun. 

1. Set a time limit

The amount of time you expect your child to read depends on their age. Beginning readers should strive to read 15-20 minutes a day. As my children grew in age and skill, I extended their summer reading time.
            

2. Reward System

When my children reached middle-school age, if they wanted to play video games, they had to read for an hour first.
               

3. Take Turns

Alternate reading portions of the book with your child. You can break it down by page, character, or chapter.  

4. Change the location

Read at the park, or the beach, or wherever you feel inspired.

5. Make it fun

Read with different accents. Thanks to the Harry Potter Series we've got some pretty stellar  British accents in my house.   

Whether your child is a baby or in high-school, reading everyday is great for their health. It's good for grown-ups, too. So, grab a novel, curl up next to your budding reader, and get lost in a book!

How do you get your children to read?


                                                                Photo courtesy of: Leandro DeCarvalho
   
          

No comments:

Post a Comment