{photo by Amanda Tipton via flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0}
With summer just around the corner, we want to encourage reading as a (hopefully) preferred summer activity for our kids, and our desire is that they will fall in love with some great literature over the break. After all, we are a community of readers here at SLOCA, book lovers through and through (have you noticed?).
But we understand that sometimes children struggle to love reading. Do you ever hear “reading is hard” or “reading is boring” or even the dreaded “I hate reading!” from one of your kids? Don’t worry, you aren’t a failure! Let’s try to understand what’s going on, and what can motivate a child who doesn’t love to read.
We have a wonderful resource to share with you today, but first…
Your child’s teacher at SLOCA is a top-notch source for ideas and insight. We are so thankful for these mentors and partners – don’t hesitate to share any concern about reading with them and ask for their expert opinion. They’ve spent the past school year with your child, they’ve had experience with all kinds of students, and they are eager to help!
Talk with other SLOCA parents too – our community of home educator parents are another valuable resource. They’ve experienced struggles and victories and can share what has worked for them. (They will probably loan you some favorite books, too!)
And here’s an excellent article from All About Learning Press (creators of the spelling program we use at SLOCA). It offers practical, helpful advice and also includes tips sent in by their readers. Check this out if you are looking for ways to motivate a reluctant reader this summer:
8 Ways to Motivate Kids to Read
One more – check out this podcast:
Helping Resistant Readers Fall in Love with Books
Whether you require your kids to read over the summer or just promote it around your house, we can all agree that it’s good for them! So if you know you’re in for a battle this summer with a child who doesn’t love to read, try the suggestions and resources above. In time, you’ll be able to share what worked for you with other parents!
Parents and teachers who have experience with this, please share your best advice in the comments below, for those who could use some ideas and support!
