Notes on Reading from the Homeschooling Mom

How do I get my kids to love reading?

The simplest answer is to be a reader. Enjoy reading. Read with your kids. Read out those passages from your books that touch you. Even if they don't seem to be listening, they are seeing that reading is important to you.

Throw out any ideas you have about "standards." They aren't written in stone. Children are not standardized. It is better to watch what your child enjoys and then tailor book picks to those interests. And don't think you can offer the same choices to your other kids. Each child will have their own tastes. Some interests may cross, but that doesn't mean they will all want to read the same thing.

Accept whatever they want to read. Try not to belittle them for picking a book that is too easy, or snub their choice of a comic book or picture book. Even a book without words will do a better job of igniting a love of reading than that "classic" that you yourself have not read.

Keep trying. Sometimes it is simply a matter of the right book at the right time.

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