My child is not a reader….
As a kid, I always had my head in a book. As an adult, I’m the same way. I tend to gravitate to non-fiction, although my favorite fiction authors include Dickens, Dostoevsky, and Vonnegut.
I was raised in a reading culture. My parents were both teachers and always had a book or two on their nightstand. I loved going to the library – and still do!
Whenever a parent calls me for test prep, my first question is always, “Does your child like to read for pleasure?” About 75% of the time, the answer is no and the parent usually sighs in regret. Then I ask them if they like to read. Sheepishly, many of them admit that they do not.
It’s regrettable when I hear that kids don’t read. Avid reading will help a child with vocabulary development, tone identification, and even grammar.
Here are the things that I suggest when you have a non-reader in the house:
- Go to a local bookstore and find a book you and your child can enjoy – together. Talk about the story.
- Get your child a subscription to a magazine you think would be enjoyed. A sports fan? Sports Illustrated. Science? Popular Science. An intellectual? The Economist.
- Incentivize your child to read one or two articles daily from The New York Times. Again, read them with him or her. If you see a sophisticated word, ask your child to figure it out from the sentence.
- Create a reading time for your family where everybody sits in a room, electronics off, a enjoys a good book.
Reading need not be a chore. If you help your child find great reading material, in time you will build a reader.
Please check out my website, https://sheptin.com/ to get some ideas of books your child may enjoy or find interesting reads.
