Don't we all wish for our children to be avid readers?
We want them to ENJOY reading, and to become lifelong readers.
As my kids are getting older I am seeing the fruits of our "reading labors" -- not only do my children read well, but they read often and they CHOOSE to read.
And, as I look back on the past fourteen years of parenthood, I can pinpoint ways we have cultivated READERS.
Today's #collagefriday is dedicated to READING, and 5 Ways to Raise Readers. We've been on our spring break (at home), so my kids have been doing A LOT of reading!
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1. Flood Your Home With Books
When my children were little I can remember their rooms.... they had a dresser and a BOOKSHELF.
In fact, every room in our home has a place for books.
(I'm sure I've probably spent thousands of dollars on books, but I am investing in my children's LIVES.)
I can still hear Anna's sweet little 2 year old voice asking "Book, mommy?" as she would bring me book after book to be read to her. Those were precious times.
In our home books are the centerpiece of each room, and I want every member of our family to be able to plop down and read whenever they would like.
Recommendations for your readers:
2. Model a Lifestyle of Reading (and ditch the TV)
Thankfully, both my husband and I like to read.
Even so, we have had to make an effort to keep books front and foremost in our OWN lives - choosing that over television, computer, and other things.
And, as my daughter has started the Challenge program through Classical Conversations, I am feeling motivated to read HARD things. I need to keep my education up to par with hers.
It's all about MODELING and SEEKING KNOWLEDGE.
Currently on mom and dad's nightstand?
Still The Best Hope - by Dennis Praeger
Outliers - by Malcolm Gladwell
Switch - by Chip Heath
Boundaries - by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
The Source - by James Michener
The Brothers Karamazov - by Dostoyevsky ---->> this book is really GOOD - I'm so glad I'm tackling it!
All The Light We Cannot See - by Anthony Doerr
Mini Shopaholic - by Sophie Kinsella ---->> my fluff read!
Walking on Water - by Madeleine L'Engle
We also gave up cable/satellite tv a few years ago and haven't missed it. Our downstairs family room lacks a television, and we have noticed that everyone reads MORE now that the television is completely gone from that space.
3. Hang Out at the Library
We have three wonderful libraries within a five mile radius of our home. What a blessing!
All of the librarians know us by name and know that we homeschool. They know my children's reading tastes and help them choose books.
Libraries have some of the BEST programs for children and they are usually FREE.
This week we went to a LEGOS at the Library event. (and of course we checked out books while we were there, too)
4. Read by Interest
My children are interested in VERY different things.
Anna, my 13 year old, really enjoys historical fiction. She also reads a lot of science fiction.
Books that are non fiction don't interest her.
Grant, my 10 year old, reads biographies and reads a lot for INFORMATION. He appreciates world records books, books about sports figures, and Peanuts cartoons.
I try to feed each of my children's reading styles.
Pushing a child to read won't work... you need to MOTIVATE them through what naturally interests them.
The very first books that ever caught my son's eye were books about baseball greats.
The very first books that captivated my daughter were American Girl books.
Encourage your kids to make a collection of books according to their interests!
5. Reward Your Kids With Books
I always keep a stash of books on hand and reward my kids for a job well done with a book.
This week the Scholastic Warehouse sale was in town.
(Find one in your area!)
I picked up some wonderful books for the kids - I spent $20 and walked out with 11 books. These books will get read and re-read.
My kids also get bookstore gift cards for birthdays, Christmas, etc... It's just a well known fact that they appreciate the gift of books!
So, while we enjoyed a week of spring break (play dates with friends, sleeping in, and a few fun outings), we were all still learning through READING.
We provided for our children the luxury of TIME, SPACE, and BOOKS. In my opinion, this is one of the most lasting gifts we can give our children - and one they will give to THEIR children, too.
Our favorites from the week include:
Treasury of Egyptian Mythology (audio) (everyone)
Treasury of Greek Mythology (audio) (everyone)
The Journal of Joshua Loper (Grant)
Phobiapedia (Grant)
Is there a lot of reading that goes on in your home?
Do you have tips for raising readers?
Join Me For Collage Friday
Join me for #CollageFriday!
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The #CollageFriday community is my favorite place to be each Friday!