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ParentDish Feature: What are your kids reading?
Filed under: Tweens, Teens, Media, That's Entertainment
(June 13, 2007) This summer, we have been trying to have the kids turn off the TV every morning and read. I say the word "trying" because we have been met with some resistance. My youngest son is trying to tell me that summer is for playing outside, not reading. "That's funny," I told him, "because you were just inside, watching television." We made deals with the kids before summer even began: We want you guys to read at least one book a month, preferably two. There are lots of things that we let them do in the summer, things that cost extra money. However, we also want them to take advantage of the long stretches of time in the summer to read.
Initially, we wanted to give them some book options to choose from. Rather than reading the same Bart Simpson comics over and over, we would like them to read some actual books. This is not an issue for the oldest child (13.5), whose room is so scattered with books it's hard to walk through it. He is reading The Fellowship of the Ring right now, and just finished The Hobbit. But it's harder for the younger two, who are more resistant at the page numbers present in a novel. My middle child (10) has read the first Harry Potter book and loved it, but he doesn't want to read the second. He has read The Hobbit, and loved it, but he doesn't want to read. He wants to watch television or play on the computer. I think that is the main issue here.
My youngest child (9) is simply not a reader. He has a way with simile and metaphor when he writes and speaks that astonishes me: It can't be taught. I cannot believe he is so resistant to reading. So, I try to read carefully: "This is reading time. You can choose what you are reading[even the Bart Simpson comic books], but this is reading time." And as I am saying the words, he will open the door and go outside. So, then, I have to go and get him, bring him inside, and start again. I hate that: I don't want to fight with him about reading. But I'm afraid that if he never experiences the actual joys that reading brings, he will just get farther and farther away from it.
I feel like I'm being pushy. Just let the kid have his summer! Don't worry about it! But I do worry about it. Books, magazines, words-- they are very important to his father, his stepfather, and I. It's probably one of the few things we all agree on. We are all academics, have all taught students who can't write because they don't read. These college students don't know the difference, when they write papers, between the words "definitely" and "defiantly." I know first-hand from my career that writing and reading are important. They go hand-in-hand. But I don't want to push him away from reading. I wish so much that he would come to it on his own.
Do your kids like to read? If they don't, do you have any tricks to encourage them?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
6-13-2007 @ 8:14PM
Karen said...Some kids just aren't readers. Both my sister and I read ALL the time, but my little brother never enjoyed it the way we did. It used to drive my mother crazy. Now he's a successful 32 year old who reads quite a bit for pleasure. He's also a fabulous writer. So maybe don't worry about it so much.
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6-13-2007 @ 7:05PM
anderson_michelle_lee said...OUr eight year old has to read during school every night fir twenty minutes, which we on our own decided to extend to 40 since it is one of the most important things children need to succeed in school. Since it isn't an option during school it is not an option when it is out. He also has to pratice his math at least three times a week. we have him keep a summer journal as well, it holds things like what we have done, how he feels, what he would like to do, what has he learned. I am by no means parent of the year. It is just easier to not give a choice on these things, and it probably helps that he has been doing it since he started school. I am told to let him take it easy sometimes. It just seems like it has done nothing but helped him. He is a straight A student, and does not have a difficult time maintaining that. I think that what you are doing is great, and that if you be persistent about it, then they will eventually just go with it. Since it is new, they are going to test you, like they do with every other new situation.
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6-13-2007 @ 8:04PM
Anne said...My 6 year old son and I read the Magic Treehouse series together. It is for older kids, you nine year old may like them. They have just enough adventure, but are easy for kids to understand. Aiden loves them, and there are 39 in the series so far, so we won't be running out any time soon!
Anne
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6-13-2007 @ 8:03PM
Karen said...I think it is a great idea to set aside a designated reading time. I also think going outside to play (physical activity) is just as valuable. Maybe you could change the reading time to a time that wouldn't compete with other things. For instance, maybe you could require him to read for 20 minutes just before bed.
But 40 minutes of reading, math and a journal during the summer. Yikes! That is great if your child will go for it, but I certainly wouldn't require that of my (straight A) kids and I'm a teacher.
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6-13-2007 @ 8:17PM
Monica said...Don't forget about reading to them. Years after my kids were reading on their own we still read together for at least 30 mins each night at bedtime. We read books that were a little ahead of their reading level, and frequently they would choose books by the same author to read on their own.
Letting them see you enjoying reading is important too. Make sure that their reading time is reading time for you too. If you need justification for taking the time for yourself, you are modeling the behaviour you want your sons to learn.
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6-14-2007 @ 9:27AM
Myke Elton said...I'm not a kid so I don't know. I'm 16 young man who LOVES to read. I read a book a week! So I LOVE reading...its a big part of my life.
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6-14-2007 @ 1:29AM
Anita said...My daughter loves to read which is something we do together a lot. I don't force her to read when she wants to go outside or play with friends but since I don't let my kids watch TV except on very rare occasions, it's really all she can do when she has down time. She reads in bed at night for an hour or two until she falls asleep, she reads in the morning until I wake up, she reads in the car since I will never get a DVD player in our vehicles, and she reads at odd times the rest of the day if she is bored. She also loves for me to read to her so I match her if she reads out loud to me--one chapter for her, one chapter for me.
My five year old boy is not quite an avid reader but he also will grab some books for me to read to him if he catches me sitting down during the day.
It truely helps to just take TV out of the picture. Then you don't anger your kids by turning it off and they will have lots more oppurtunity to read without you forcing the issue.
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6-14-2007 @ 8:40AM
Big Grown-Up Mommy (Heather) said...My 5 year old reads on his own and has recently started devouring the "Magic Tree House" books. He also loves poetry and nonfiction that is science-oriented (he's going through a volcano phase at the moment!). It can be hard to find good nonfiction for the new reader, so a lot of what he reads is challenging, but that doesn't faze him and of course we also read a lot together. I sometimes have to plead with him to let ME read at bedtime, though. He prefers to read TO me now.
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6-14-2007 @ 8:17PM
Leian said...I love to read and hope I am successful at inspiring same in my children. So far my 3-year old daughter loves reading - it's a ritual for us every night: she reads us a book and her father and I each read her a book, and she'll often read or ask to be read to during the day. I think if she weren't that way I would definitely try to find a way to enforce reading. Of course, I have no idea how - and hope I don't have to get to that point!
This reminds me that I saw the funniest site about children's books you'll never see:
http://www.funny2.com/book.htm
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