Bite-Sized Tips

Let's be honest, we are all busy and do not have time to read lengthy posts about anything. Not to mention, many of us have the attention span of a gnat, myself included. Maybe that's why I get along so well with my students...

With that said, here are three bite-sized tips for fostering any kid's love of reading...even the ones who say they hate books.

Admittedly, my home library is a bit messy and overstuffed (an excuse for me to talk my husband into building custom bookshelves).

Tip 1: Let them choose the story

For some of us, this can be painful. Your child chooses the same book every night and you know how the story ends. Can't we pick something else? Suffer through, my friends. If your child loves a certain book and you just cannot take reading it for the one millionth time, look for similar stories. My best friend - right after my husband, of course! - is Gemini. Tell him your situation and he will provide a plethora of similar titles and authors. This will not only get your kiddo to stop torturing you with the verbal equivalent of a sharp stick in the eye, but it will introduce them to other authors and genres. Thus building their love of stories.

Tip 2: The reading nomad

Nomads: people who move from place to place. The reading nomad: your child, because they will take a book with them everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. The car ride to church: check. On the bus: you bet. In the bathroom: sure, why not. My own children complained about this when they were little. Now, I have to take their books from them so they'll listen to my super awesome stories about my day.

Tip 3: Read aloud every day

I know what you're thinking: you said you understand how busy I am and now you're adding to my daily list. Just hear me out. You can crush a round of solitaire on your phone while your kid reads aloud to the cat or their own shadow. Maybe even their imaginary friend. No one's judging! It doesn't matter so long as they have a book in their hand and they are speaking out loud. When we read aloud, we activate more of our brain. Picture it as a Fourth of July fireworks show where your brain is firing off synapses like fireworks. Just like the city fireworks show, it only has to last five minutes.

That's it.