{"id":352,"date":"2020-10-12T13:22:32","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T17:22:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intentionallywell.org\/?p=352"},"modified":"2023-07-30T20:08:15","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T00:08:15","slug":"reluctant-reader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intentionallywell.org\/reluctant-reader\/","title":{"rendered":"Help! How Can I Help My Reluctant Reader Love Books?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Spoiler alert, I’m writing this as a parent with a reluctant reader. Sometimes kids love reading independently, looking at books, and listening to stories. But what if your child doesn’t want anything to do with books?<\/strong> How can we, as parents, cultivate a love of reading? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of emphasis is placed on having your child read early and strong. And we, as moms, feel that stress. We hear about the child, who is reading chapter books at age 4, but we never hear about children who excel in other skills like building an elaborate block city or showing incredible kindness and empathy with friends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These things are equally important for child development, and we know that kids develop at different rates. But reading got put on this pedestal somewhere along the way. What I’m getting at is that it’s OK if your child doesn’t naturally love books. You can do so many things to encourage a love of reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1 Model a Love for Books<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reading your books in front of your children is incredibly powerful. If we want our kids to enjoy reading, they must see us enjoying it. For example, I grew up seeing my parents devour books. My childhood is full of memories of my mom and dad reading for hours on the weekends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading as a hobby or entertainment was never a foreign concept for me. I knew that reading a story was always an option if I was bored. Seeing my parents’ love for books encouraged me to seek out books as I got older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me ask you this – when was the last time you read a book<\/a> for pleasure? Probably quite some time, especially if you’re like me during those early years when we are all just trying to survive. But I encourage you to carve out time to read while your kids are learning to read. You won’t regret it.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A post shared by Emily Sewell (@intentionally_well_blog)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n