Help! My child doesn't like reading...

Bringing out that inner reader....

There may be all sorts of reasons why your child is not a reader  and all sorts of ways you might help to transform a reluctant reader into a bookworm. Some children take to reading with ease, consuming books like food, always hungry for more. Other children may not be so eager, but they’ll read, happily making time for the latest Horrid Henry or Rainbow Magic, with reading as part of their lives but not overwhelmingly important. But not all children enjoy books, and those who don’t can often be a cause for anxiety – as, after all, the enjoyment of reading makes learning easier. So, if your child really does not like reading, try to work out why.

The cause will be amongst the following:

• Your child is actually afraid of reading because he or she thinks it’s difficult.
• Your child has not yet found the right book(s).
• You don’t like reading. It’s not a crime, so don’t feel guilty. But children take cues from the adults around them. Have you unconsciously given the message that reading is difficult or boring? Does your child see you enjoying reading?
• Perhaps he or she simply doesn’t like ‘made-up stories’? Some people, often boys and men, don’t ‘get’ fiction because it doesn’t feel real. But non fiction could really inspire your child.
• Of course, your child may have a reading problem in which case be very sympathetic because no one enjoys doing something difficult and frustrating.

Some solutions:

Remember: reading should be for pleasure. Books are like strawberries – we eat them because they’re delicious, forgetting that they are also good for us; not like steamed spinach, which we eat only because it’s good for us. Let children read the books they enjoy, not the ones you think will improve them.

• Help your child associate reading with feeling good. For example, being cosy with a caring adult who has taken time to read together is a great way to grow a love of books. If reading is always associated with discomfort, failure and stress, it will always be disliked.
• Think about topics your child might enjoy. Just as valuable as storybooks are non-fiction books about favourite sports or hobbies, or about fascinating or disgusting subjects, and books with intricate diagrams or pop-ups. Magazines provide reading practice, too, and can lead on to books.
• Create an environment where reading is valued, fun and a top choice rather than a last resort to satisfy a teacher. Read in the garden, in bed, on holiday, on trains. Turn the TV off during the day and well before bedtime and REFUSE to have a TV in your child’s bedroom. Make space and time for deeper pleasure.

Audiobooks

Stories were originally told aloud, not written, and hearing a story is as valuable as reading it. If introduced to stories through audiobooks, children are likely to grow to love them and then want to experience the written text, too. For children who really find reading difficult, they are a brilliant way of not missing out on all the developmental opportunities that come from books. Audiobooks also allow children to hear stories that might be too long or advanced for them to read themselves (but make sure the content is suitable).

Finally, be patient – reading is not something you can or should force. Loving books is a lifelong pleasure and your child may come to that pleasure much later.