"How Do I Make My Child Love To Read?"

On the way home from school, I was thinking about the blog that I posted yesterday.  I was thinking how the books that I mentioned were all chapter books and how a lot of parents probably think that those level of books won't really apply to them right now because their kids aren't even school age.  In my first post, I talked about what ignited my passion for children's literature.  But what I didn't talk about is how I have ALWAYS been an avid reader.  I attribute that to two things: 1. My kindergarten teacher.  Not only was she an amazing teacher (according to my parents...I don't remember the academics part so much), but I remember how she loved us.  It was the first time I realized that someone other than a family member could love you.  She made learning to read fun.  And second, (this, I am positive, is the most valuable piece in the puzzle that causing my love of reading.)  My mom read to me from the womb.  And I don't just mean that she read to me (and my sister) every night.  The love my mom had for reading and books was translated in how and what she would read to us.  When she read, she used voices. When she read, she had the best inflections and expressions.  She would read to us ALL THE TIME.  I remember my mom reading The Hobbit to my sister and I when I was 8 years old (Becky would have been around 4).  In the summer, my mom always took us to the library.  My mom never complained when Becky or I asked her to read "Harry the Dirty Dog"  or "There's A Monster At The End of This Book" over and over and over.  Each time she used the same funny voices and expression...just like it was the first time we'd ever heard it.

I say all of this to let you know that I FIRMLY believe that it is never too early to saturate your child's world in books...any and all sorts of books.  In my 11 years of teaching, I get the same question over and over, "How do I make my child love to read?"  My first question to them is, "Do you like to read?" and 95% of the time, their answer is no.  I tell them that not all students will love to read and that is just the way they are wired.  I do tell them, however, LEARNING to read and LOVING to read are two different things.  And no matter how much they push their child to read for fun, it won't work...and really all it will cause is frustration for everyone involved.  I don't ever remember a time that my mom made me read to her (I'm sure there were times that I had to for school).  I do, however, remember when I asked if I could read to her. 

As I type this, I think that I need to rephrase my earlier statement.  My mom didn't create a love for reading.  My mom created a love for stories.  She would use her voice to make it all come to life.  And I knew, from day one, that I couldn't wait to do that on my own.    My mom didn't push books down our throat...she made it something that we craved each day.  THAT is what I use in my classroom every day to help students love to read. 

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is when parents come back to me, years later, and tell me that their child found the love of reading in my classroom.  I know I'm not a mom.  I know I don't have to get my child to read 20 minutes each night because that's what the school requires.  But I do have 22 seven and eight year olds-every day-some who are scared of books because reading is hard for them.  Some who are good readers, but just have no desire to pick up a book.  I take it as a personal challenge to show each of them the love of stories.  And by learning how to read or picking up a book, they can enjoy those stories too.

When I started this post, it was going to be a few sentences about my mom and the love of stories.  Guess I had more to say than I realized!!