Summer Reading Crunch

           
                                  Photo courtesy of: Kinga Cichewicz@ all_who_wander


             When I was at the library the other day I saw parents and children hunting down books assigned for the summer reading break. Depending on how much time your child has to complete the book, this can be a hassle, especially if they procrastinate.            The book may not be in stock at the library or the bookstore and it needs to be reserved (thank goodness for the Nook and Kindle); or your child is sulking about the prospect of trading out their blinking and beeping electronic device for some old prosaic paperback. The horror!
            Ahh, I remember those days with my own children fondly. The bargaining, the time setting, the reward systems, the intense debates.
            For those lucky folk pioneering into this new territory of parenthood (or those who've been braving it out for many a year), I would like to pass on what I learned during my struggle to convince my kids that reading can be fun. 
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            1. Set a time limit                The amount of time you expect your child to read depends on their age.                   Beginning readers should strive to read 15-20 minutes a day.                As my children grew in age and skill, I extended their summer reading time.                        2. Reward System                When my children reached middle-school age, if they wanted to play video games, they had to read for an hour first.                            3. Take Turns                Alternate reading portions of the book with your child. You can break it down by page, character, or chapter.  
            4. Change the location                 Read at the park, or the beach, or wherever you feel inspired.
            5. Make it fun                Read with different accents. Thanks to the Harry Potter Series we've got some pretty stellar British accents in my house.   
             Whether your child is a baby or in high-school, readingeveryday is great for their health.  It's good for grown-ups, too. So, grab a novel, curl up next to your budding reader, and get lost in a book!
             How do you get your children to read?


                                                Photo courtesy of: Leandro DeCarvalho