5 Things Parents Can Do If Your Child Hates Reading

by Jessica Watson on November 13th, 2015 | No Comments »

If your child hates reading it can make the beginning of the school year quite challenging. The good news is there are tons of techniques out there that you can try if your child hates reading.

Great tips for if your child hates to read

As a parent, it's so hard to ask our kids to do the same thing over and over, especially if it brings frustration or even tears. Luckily, with some out-of-the-box thinking, you can help your child go from avoiding the books to picking one up whenever they have a few free minutes.

1. Sticker or reward chart- You can't lose with this old tried and true method. Make your own chart and set goals for your child. Maybe ten stickers earns them a special treat or filling up a page wins them a trip to the dollar store. Whatever motivates your child to read is a winner! This Reading Log Printable is a free download that you can use to track their progress.

2. Find fun places to read- Can your child read to the family pet? Under the table? Inside a fort? In the dark with a flashlight? Mixing up the times and places where they read and making it a fun time can make all the difference in the world.

Finding fun places to read

3. Get creative with book choices- Try our great list of 25 books to entice reluctant readers for some creative ideas when it comes to choosing a book. Reading doesn't have to be sitting down with a chapter book. You can experiment with joke books, fun facts and even recipes. Once you find something they love, reading won't seem like so much of a chore.

4. Use your library- Your local library might have fun reading contests or weekly programs to involve your reluctant reader. Getting them out of the house and in a place with books of all kinds has its benefits and if there is a contest or weekly goals for them to meet it makes the process that much more fun.

Encourage a reluctant reader with a change of location

5. Look for a mentor- Is there someone your child looks up to who can encourage them to read or help them discover what they might love about picking up a book? It's hard to have to ask our kids over and over to read and often they don't even "hear" us anymore. Sometimes if a peer buddy or someone other than Mom and Dad are doing the encouraging, reading time can run much more smoothly.

Happy reading!!

What do you do to encourage the love of reading in your home?

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Jessica Watson

Jessica Watson is the mom to five, four in her arms and one in her heart. When she's not doing the minivan shuffle she's homeschooling her kiddos and cooking things they won't eat. She blogs with her heart on her sleeve at Four Plus an Angel, co-directs Listen To Your Mother Metro Detroit and writes for sites such as Huffington Post, Mamalode and SheKnows.