Comments on: How to Get Your Kids to Read

By: An avid reader

An avid reader — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:00:06 +0000

Aaah books. I wouldn’t be here today without them. I grew up in a scary household but the one great gift the very dysfunctional grown-ups who raised me gave was the gift of reading. Where they couldn’t parent or inspire they gave me a window to worlds of love, understanding, wisdom, education and adventure without which despair and ignorance would have governed my formative years.
Books and the gift of reading are life changing and precious. In the words of C.S Lewis “We read to know we are not alone.”
To all those who write, thank you!

By: A Gran

A Gran — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:14:12 +0000

We lived with my grandparents when I was very young. My grandmother read to me for practice with her new teeth. I learned to read before I went to school and have been reading ever since. My parents are both readers. My husband is also a reader. We both read to our children when they were young. We didn’t even have a tv for about 5 years – no reception in the mountains where we lived. We made twice weekly trips to the library. That’s also when we read the Little House series aloud. Even after we moved to tv reception land, it wasn’t unusual to see all four of us sitting with our noses in books while the tv made background noise. We never censored the kids’ reading only told them that when they didn’t understand something to ask for help or if they came across an unfamiliar word to look it up on one of our several dictionaries. They are both voracious readers. I also gift new babies with books.

By: Lisa S

Lisa S — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:29:10 +0000

Ummm, Taggart is reading a Pokemon chapter book right now, so after reading this post, I’m okay with that. As book lovers, management of our inventory is a big issue. Fortunately, our library has a used bookstore within that we donate to and replenish with. I’m reading Peace Like a River currently-fabulous and strongly recommend.

By: another reading mom

another reading mom — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:04:44 +0000

As a child I was not read to much by my parents. I had six older siblings that took on that task. So when I had my own first child I read to her constantly, sometimes for hours. With the second child I didn’t have as much time. By the third child the oldest took on the role of resident librarian in our house and did the reading to the younger ones. Even taking them to the library with the stroller when she got old enough. Now with the oldest in Sudan and the youngest in high school we all fondly recall those days. The middle one is planning a family now and it is especially important to her to space them apart for the same reasons! I admit to having reading parties to this day when they come home.

By: Maria (farm country kitchen)

Maria (farm country kitchen) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:29:19 +0000

Books will never betray me! That’s my new motto! Fantastic!

By: Tina

Tina — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:26:05 +0000

When I was a kid, my mother had to chase me outside in the summertime b/c all I wanted to do was stay inside and read! So, I’d take my book and read in the yard. The Little House books were my absolute favorite. My sister called me the other day to tell me how my 7 year old niece is following in my footsteps. It was library day at school, and my niece was walking back to her classroom while reading the book she had just picked out. Her teacher suggested she not read while walking, lest she trip or bump into something. My niece solemnly replied, “Books will never betray me.”

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:54:17 +0000

I was deeply involved in an early learning project in the early 70s and learned that the most important thing a father can do for his children is to read to them–from the time they are born, or even before. Mom reading is important, to be sure, but there’s just no limit to the impact of seeing and hearing Dad read to them. It doesn’t even matter what he’s reading, could be a newspaper, magazine, a book, or even the ingredients statement from a can of paint. It cements the bonding process and creates a very strong positive image in their minds. My husband read to all our children and they are all avid readers today. All three of them read long before they started school and if they got “too quiet” in the other room, I could always find them curled up with a book in an out-of-the-way place.

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:58:51 +0000

As I love to read before bedtime, we’ve always had ‘reading parties’. I tell my 7-year-old son to go grab a book and come cuddle and read with mom. He also gets read to and has already been introduced to LOTR and Treasure Island, as well as some other classics. As he’s surrounded by books (our home looks like a library) and both parents love to read, we’re hoping he shares that love as well as he grows up.

By: Jean Nick

Jean Nick — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:25:57 +0000

Both my parents read to me for hours every week until I was well into elementary school and I have been a voracious reader ever since (though I still hanker to have things read to me while I’m doing other things, for which audio books are the perfect answer). While I didn’t have the leisure to read out loud as much to my kids when they were young, both of them have also become voracious readers. My budget has not always stretched to buying new books, but the kids were always thrilled to get a trip to the used book store or the library to pick up a stack of their own choosing for the next few weeks. Libraries and used book stores are great, Green options to buying everything new. I read 4 to 6 books on tape a week while driving and doing chores, and all too frequently seem to keep at least one longer than I should, racking up an overdue fine — which I accept as my “donation” to help keep my favorite public libraries open and stocked. They need our support more than ever right now, as State funding cuts (at least here in PA) have slashed operating budgets.