For the Love of Books — How To Raise a Reader

Some children readily embrace books and love them for life. Others show little interest early on only to disappear into the written word later, only rarely seen again. Still others are manic readers, swinging wildly and repeatedly between devouring an entire series and spurning the black-and-white page. If you’re longing to raise readers, let them experience how wonderful written language can be.

1. Quietly Demonstrate Your Love of Books

Sammie watches you and learns more from what you do than anything you say. If she sees you reading, she’ll know that you value books and other written venues. If she witnesses you wading through written material that is challenging or difficult but prevailing, she’ll assume that she’ll be able to persevere and succeed one day, too. You won’t have to tell her you love books. She’ll already know.

2. Let Them Have Books — No Matter What

Infants may need cloth or plastic padded books with only a few pages, and toddlers may do best with board books, but let them have them. If Joe chews on his books, that’s okay — really. He’s learning the addictive pleasure of the weight and feel of a book in his hands, the delight of turning pages and seeing something new. Just keep an eye on the ink, and if ragged edges start coming apart, get a new one to prevent choking hazards.

3. Let Them Select Their Own Books

Sydney doesn’t want you to select her books any more than you’d want someone else to tell you what to read. You can suggest, but leave the decisions up to her. She may surprise you with books on do-it-yourself plumbing repair, farm machinery, spiders and insects, or Marie Curie. She may not be able to read them, but you can look at them together and talk about what interests her.

4. Read to Them — Even If It’s the Same Book Again

Russel may ask for “Mr. Brown Can Moo” every night for a month. It may be a real ear worm for you, cycling through your brain as you go through your day, but that repetition is important. He’s learning the rhythms of language and expression and probably memorizing the words, too. Before long, he’ll be turning the pages, “reading” it himself, and one day soon, maybe he’ll move on to “Red Fish, Blue Fish.”

5. Let Them Experience the Fun Side of the Library

Most libraries offer much more than books. Most carry summer reading programs for even the smallest children as well as activity hours, story times with puppets or actors, enrichment activities on nature or wildlife, movie days, and even childhood and adult education courses and programs. Especially with online access, libraries are much more than a building of books.

6. Let Them Buy Their Own Books

Choosing and paying for your own belongings somehow makes them seem more valuable. The same is true for children. Let Adam earn a little book money doing simple, easy things that are fun. Keep it positive, something that he likes to do, like lining his toys up at the edge of the sandbox or sweeping the welcome mat. Ask him to help you straighten a bookshelf at home. Let him pay, and allow him control of his book. After all, it’s his.

7. Use Books as Reward — Never Punishment

Books should mean pleasure — time spent together or with a topic Autumn chose. Don’t let her have them during timeout, and don’t force books on her if she’s unwilling. If she melted down and you’ve just freed her from timeout, then a story and a nap might be just the soothing reassurance she needs. If you’re dying to hear her read for the first time, don’t push it. Little eyes aren’t ready for little text, and for a number of years, those letters will look more like hieroglyphics to her.

8. Help With Homework — Especially When They’re Older

Reading involves a tremendous number of skills — eye coordination, attention span and reasoning skills — to deal with vocabulary and context. Sachen may not be as advanced as some of his peers, and he’s well aware of it. He may not want to admit that he doesn’t understand something. However, if you not only admit that you need to look it up but also are willing to do so, he’ll learn that he can, too.

9. Give Books to Others Less Fortunate

Help your children to view books as gifts to be cared for and shared. Explain to Sophie that many children aren’t lucky enough to have books in their homes. Library resources in underserved areas are often worn and out-of-date. Let her donate those books she’s outgrown to organizations that specialize in encouraging literacy, providing gently used books to children who otherwise would have none.

10. Give Them Some Books To Treasure

Splurge on a few beautifully illustrated and bound classics, or for a special treat, ante up for that amazing Sabuda popup book with the dinosaurs. Help Darien set aside a spot to keep them, and give responsibility for their care to him. Teach him about the spine, cover and end papers as well as how to take care of them, and then let him. Teach him, trust him, and you may have a reader for life.