It’s Day 28 of my 30 Days of Writing Project and today I’m sharing my tips for raising a reader!
Honestly, I do not consider myself an expert on much when it comes to parenting, but my son brings a book with him everywhere he goes. I consider that a win!
Tip #1: Establish reading as a daily rhythm. My husband and I love to read and listen to audiobooks (yes, that counts as reading!). We talk about books and reading constantly. We don’t love every book we read—and we talk about that, too!
Tip #2: Early exposure to and access to bookstores and libraries. When my son was a toddler, we spent so much time at Barnes & Noble in the children’s section playing at the train table. We also attended LEGO, movie, and craft events at our local library. Libraries and bookstores are places we just go often, especially on birthdays and special occasions!
Tip #3: Subtitles on TV shows and movies. This one feels like a parenting cheat code. We turned them on when he was born and never turned them off. He’s reading every single time he watches a movie or TV and is being exposed to so many words that way!
Tip #4: Never saying “no” to buying at least one book. I love the library, but we also budget for books. If we step into a bookstore, we know we are usually coming home with at least one. To me, this is the price of fueling a love for reading…and it’s worth it!
Tip #5: Asking questions about what he’s reading. I want to know what the characters in his stories are up to, what are they going through? Maybe it can open a door for us to have a meaningful conversation.
Tip #6: But don’t ask too many questions. I think he should be able to have his own reading life and get lost in those worlds without being interrogated by his mom.
Tip #7: A bookshelf in his room. He has total ownership over his own library. Sometimes I’ll walk into his room and he has all of his books on his bed because he is reorganizing his bookshelf.
Tip #8: A high tolerance for book stacks everywhere in our house. Some would call it clutter, I call it decor. We are all in this reading life together!
Tip #9: Read the stories he writes. I once heard that reading is breathing in and writing is breathing out. Readers often become writers and my son has definitely started on that journey.
Tip #10: He can read whatever he wants. He has his own library card. I hope he finds reading as a way to live a thousand different lives and answer questions he hasn’t even asked yet.
So there you have it, my non-expert tips for raising a reader. What would you add to this list?
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