Where is the love of reading?
I have noticed an increase of concern regarding reading (and math, but that is a different topic altogether) in different articles because test scores are down in the country. The article is usually comparing data from before COVID and data from after COVID. In fact I just saw one not long ago. Covid has caused many hiccups in public education. Many schools scrambled to find a way to continue education. When schools moved to remote learning, and it was something that most teachers did not know how to do (trust me I saw this firsthand when our public schools went remote) but we are talking about reading. When did reading only take place at school?
Reading at Home
I never relied on the public schools to teach my girls to read. I worked on it at home. Did public school help the girls learn? Yes, but who helped them with their reading homework at home?? That is right, me and their father. We still were a part of their learning to read and develop a love for reading. We knew they could not learn everything at school, so we had to do our part at home to help them become successful readers at home.
Long before my girls started school, they had books in their hands. Even as babies, I had books for them to look at. Some were cloth books while others were small for little hands to hold. I can remember each night, reading books was part of their bedtime routines. Each girl always had a favorite book/books we had to read each night.
To make reading more enjoyable, we got creative. Sometimes we would have cheese and grapes as a snack while we read. While other times we just cuddled on the bedroom floor (they had bunkbeds, so it was hard to read there) or a rocking chair. I am not going to lie; I do miss those quiet nights just reading all their favorite books together. ❤️ Good Times!!
Reading Routine
Even today, reading is part of our routine, and the girls are much older. The girls usually read during their homeschooling time and read again before bed. They are old enough to choose how long they read, but our general rule has been 20 minutes each night as a minimum. I have one daughter who will read for hours and another who is good with the 20 minutes. Each one is different, but 20 minutes is just the right amount to start with.
The daily 20 minutes of reading does not include their personal scripture study. They usually read their scriptures in the morning or at night, but this is also part of their day. Once they reach high school, it is part of their homeschool curriculum. Reading scriptures each day just helps them have a better day and get more accomplished.
Family Reading
Not only do the girls read individually, but we also spend time reading scriptures as a family. This is our family time to learn together, and it is hard to get it done each day, but we try to be diligent. We read a chapter each night and learn together. Reading scriptures together has not always been easy, especially when the girls were little, so we had to be creative at times to get it done. We do miss days here and there, but the goal is to read as often as we can together.
Even though my girls are older, books fill their rooms. We go to the library even couple of weeks and find more books to engage our minds. Reading just is not for the kids, it is for all of us. It was important for my girls to see me reading as well, so I needed to be an example. If I am not reading a book, they can usually find me reading my scriptures. Either way, reading is being done in our home.
I know not everyone has a love of reading, I surely did not when I was younger. A love for reading does take time, but the results are amazing. Since I wanted my girls to love reading, I had to become a reader as well. To be honest, it was not until the girls were a little older that I started checking out books from the library. I usually found clearance books, ordered them online or had other church books I had bought at conventions.
How can reading improve?
Children will only become better readers if they are exposed to books, magazines, etc. I may not have an education degree (started out in education, but changed majors), but I know from experience what worked for my girls. I made reading part of our day. Some days they were more interested in playing dolls or watching a movie, but reading was a necessity in our home. If you want to see your child be successful in reading, you need to read with them and then need to see you read as well.
I know it is easy to put your little ones on a device to entertain them, but finding good books from a bookstore or library is even better. Books allow our imaginations to take off and explore in creativity. At times it may be difficult to sit and read, but just reading a few minutes a day and make a difference. You can help your child be successful in reading. It just takes time and willingness to do it.