
Day 4--How do you foster love of reading in children? We raised 4 voracious readers. Yes, they all still waste too much time (my opinion) on video gaming and repeated viewings of DVDs of favorite TV shows. But they all love to read. We read to them every night, husband and me alternating with different books and series'. We always had books in the house just lying around, and mom and dad both read. I took them to the library Story Hour when they were toddlers, and we always checked out books in their names.
My oldest son was reluctant to read to himself once he started school. I agonized over how to encourage him, since my degree is in teaching older students. What I did was find a series he enjoyed: Animorphs, about kids who can turn into animals, but can't stay in any one body too long or they'll get stuck as that animal. I would read a chapter or two, then when there was a cliff-hanger ending of a chapter, I'd yawn, stretch, and tell him I was tired and going to read to the next kid. Then I'd put the bookmark in the book and leave. Yup, sure enough he started staying up late to finish at least that chapter. Then he was hooked.
My sons were fans of a series, "The Plants That Ate Dirty Socks". Kind of like Captain Underpants-type humor. This was before we had internet access. They wrote a letter to the author, suggesting a story line. SHE WROTE BACK! They were thrilled!
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Day 5 challenge: Who taught me to love reading?
That would be my late mother. Emily wanted me to be a reader because she loved it so much. She didn't even get her GED until I was in grade school, so when I was about 3, she had no idea how to teach little kids. But she bought workbooks about learning to read and write and would do them with me everyday...for fun. By the time I entered kindergarten, I was reading the daily paper to Mom while she made dinner. Talk about early advantage in school! I'd easily finish the required reading at a low level, then do my "fun" reading, like devouring Shakespeare's plays and poems, or tackling adult books that Mom had lying around. Hence my love for romance books. Thanks, Mom! I owe you big time!
What about you? Who taught you to love reading?