Ways to Encourage Family Reading

Being a good reader helps a lot in different aspects of life, whether at school or at work. Reading is like most things—practice makes perfect! Once you are a capable reader and find a book genre that you enjoy, reading becomes an enjoyable hobby and a great way to learn. Try these tips to help encourage your family to read:

• Teach by example: Make reading a normal part of life, and show that you enjoy it. Read or tell a bedtime story. Also, even though life is busy, try to squeeze in time to be reading your own book, so that your kids know that you aren't setting a double-standard. If your kids grow up with the idea that you think reading is a fun activity, there is a big chance that they will grow up thinking the same way.
• Sign up at the library: Take the whole family to get individual library card. It's fun for kids to have their own card with their own signature on it, so let them get a card to check out their own books. (Remember though to help them keep track of their due-dates to avoid overdue fines!). Most public libraries have great kid programs with prizes during the summer to help encourage kids to read. Go to your local library to find out more information.
• Explore genres: Everyone has a favorite genre. If your child starts out reading fantasy and decides he or she doesn't like it, let them know that there are other kinds of books. Try adventure books (think Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew), historical fiction (American Girl series), or even comic books to get them reading.
• See the movies after: Read family-friendly books together, and then go see or rent the movie together. It's fun to compare what was in your imagination with the movie's interpretation.
• Stay in the background: Nagging or assigning reading on a chore chart will probably not be the best way to encourage your family to read. Try not to disapprove of what they like to read (unless you think that it is morally inappropriate). Don't give too much praise when you see them reading; let them feel that they are not reading to get your approval, but for their own pleasure.

Remember, you might not be able to convince your child to like reading overnight. Try other ways to read, like out loud as a family, have your child read a picture book to a younger sibling, or make your own prize system like the library's.