Tell me about your kids suddenly getting into reading!

[Mumsfun13]

Ok so I am totally not looking for actual advice here because I swear I have read and tried it all already! But I am looking for stories/anecdotes that will give me hope!

I have a DD, 7, who has a reading age of 10 and LOVES being read to, but very rarely picks up a book herself. Her ability to avoid reading is in fact incredible (she is v v stubborn personality wise and i do wonder if she genuinely doesn’t read because her brother and I are such bookworms and she knows I’d love it if she joined us 😂). She will be desperate to find out what happens next in a story but still not pick up the book herself (even though she’s more than capable of it). We go to the library, read lots at home, let her choose, have suggested easier stuff like Dogman etc etc. Like I say, have tried it all.

So I guess what I’m asking is: can you tell me your stories of your kids who were late to reading but suddenly started to love it later on?

But only if they enjoy it.

My kids are very demand avoidant. If i want them to do something, i have to leave it lying around and then COMPLETELY ignore it. If i even so much as mention it, they won't go near it. So give her the opportunities and then just leave her alone. Don't bring it up again. Wait for her to come to you to talk about what she's read and when she does, don't make a big deal of it.

DD was the same from about 8-11. Bright girl, able reader, just not interested in recreational reading. To be fair, there is very little fiction aimed at girls of KS2 age . Then one day she idly picked up a copy of the first Percy Jackson book, and it opened the door to reading for her. She’s 14 now and still loves it. She likes nothibg more than an afternoon at a big bookshop, and has asked for book tokens for Christmas.