One of the most important jobs I have as a homeschooling mother is to foster the love of learning and reading in my children.
All three of my children learned to read in different ways: one seemed to effortlessly pick up the skill of reading and was zipping her way through chapter books (written on a fourth-grade level!) in kindergarten. Another learned to read by SHOUTING words, and it took many years of "buddy" reading until they felt comfortable reading a book independently. Still another learned to read on their own terms. I call this the "cat" method--reading many pages one day, not wanting to the next--learning how and when they wanted to. To be honest, I am glad we are past the learning to read stage of homeschooling!
But my job has really just begun. It is one thing to know how to read--the decoding of symbols to make sense of words and sentences; it is quite another to love to read and choose to do it over more alluring things, like video games and screen time.
“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” --Mark Twain
I like to call this process "literary matchmaking," a nod to blogger and author Anne Bogel (but I believe she uses the term in a different way). I see myself as a matchmaker of sorts, helping to bring my children into the arms of a good book, almost like making a dating match!
To foster the love of reading in my kids, I have come to realize that I practice a few "literary matchmaking" habits which I'd love to share with you today. I hope they will serve to encourage and inspire you in your household, whether you homeschool or not!
Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Make reading THE MOST enjoyable experience of your child's day.
If I see one of my kids reading on the couch, I grab the closest warm afghan and cover them up, tucking in the sides and snugging them inside. I offer to serve them a mug of hot cocoa (if it is cold outside), or a tangy glass of lemonade (during the summer months). I bring over the cat and put him on their lap. I prop their feet up on a pillow. I turn on a lamp, light a candle, or remove distractions in the room (like open magazines or nearby electronic devices) and I seriously set the mood. Chocolate always goes over BIG too--add brownies, chocolate chips, or cocoa to any setting with a book, and it instantly makes a GOOD memory!
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| Reading is always GREAT with a kitty and a cozy afghan |
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| Notice the chocolate chips! |
“There is nothing more luxurious than eating while you read—unless it be reading while you eat.” – E. Nesbit
2. Incorporate reading into everyday life.
If we are hiking in the woods, I bring along a book. Heading to the pool? I pack a few books in the pool bag (in waterproof zipper pouches). Sitting down to lunch? I bring over a book of poetry and read one or two poems before we clear our dishes. I am forever amazed how often the kids are open and responsive to reading when we are out and about, or just doing mundane things throughout our day.
“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” – Lemony Snicket
3. Let your kids see YOU enjoying books and reading.
Okay, I hate to admit this, but I literally pant and bark out loud with glee when a new book arrives in the mail from Amazon. It always gets a few giggles from the kids, but they can't help but know that Mama loves books. Some mornings, they find me snuggled in bed reading a book in the early morning hours. Oftentimes, I sit down with a book in the afternoon or after dinner dishes are cleaned up in the evening. We try to prioritize going to the library as a family a few times a month, and the kids know that I am NOT ready to leave until I have scoured the stacks in the adult fiction and non-fiction sections! Like with all things, YOU are a model for your kids! If they see that you love to read, it will overflow into their hearts and lives.
We have a lot of different books--and book formats--going on in our household at any particular time. The kids each read their own books (as do I). Then we have shared read-aloud books. We also listen to audiobooks and stories at bedtime and on car trips. (We love Hoopla, a book streaming app, free through our local library, but we check out books on CD often, too). It seems that the plot lines and characters never get mixed up in their minds--they are so adaptable and jump from story to story, even in the same day. This always keeps us excited about reading and never bored!
5. NEVER have a bad thing to say about reading and books!
Lastly, I always say POSITIVE things about books, reading, libraries, bookshelves, and all things related to books! Let's say it is raining outside: I will announce, "Rainy days like today are PERFECT for books, tea, and snuggling!" Or if one of my children has come upon a boring book, I let them set it aside, and pick a new one right away. No need to belabor it; sometimes it is just not the right fit for this particular point in time. I will mention how good books smell, how amazing they feel, what exciting adventures they might take us on...it is always positive.
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling
Don't misunderstand--reading is never perfect around here--I mean, what is?! But overall, I am amazed at how often my kids choose to read, where they choose to read, and how many books and stories they read, when we look at an entire academic year.
Reading together can especially serve to *reset* crazy days! I am so thankful for books and reading, and how it has positively impacted our family and our homeschool. I hope it will do the same for you and yours, too, dear friend!
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