How do you turn your child into a prolific reader?

[CDMforever]

Just been reading a thread about parents trying to find new reading material for their children who get through books like there's no tomorrow. Sounds wonderful! DS1 is 11 and not an avid reader at all of fiction. He is an able reader just doesn't really interest him, unless its non-fiction. DS2 and DD are both very young and both show an interest in picture books yet so did DS1 at their age. So how can I nurture this early interest to produce enthusiastic school-aged readers? A friend said DS1 is still young and may still become a bookworm like his parents.

[ChopsTheDuck]

I thought that by having lots of books around and the fact that I read loads the children would follow on. No matter what I've tried though, they aren't interested!
I just don't think books can compete with the wii/xbox/pc. We've had some success with comics with the boys, and I dug up a few boxes of my old annuals too for dd, but she still moans whenever I try to get her to read. The only other thing that does seem to get her interested is books where she has seen the story on tv or a film. We have a rule that everyone reads for half hour before bed, part of the winding down routine.

I agree with the theory that some just aren't interested too.

I also speed read, it is possible to learn to read quick and not resort to skimming. I used to spend whole weekends lazing on a beanbag with a stack of books and gradually got quicker.

[bruffin]

Have to agree it's and interest that be encouraged but not forced.

My DS 13 is dyslexic but reads well, but took him until about 7 to be able to read. He would read non fiction and magazines and started reading Harry Potter when he was 9. We always went to the library and he had a lot of story tapes out, but he really wasn't interested in reading other novels.

Then last August I bought him a set of Alex Rider on cd which did not include the latest. He asked us to buy him the latest book and he hasn't stopped reading since. Thankfully he can go on line and order books from the library.

DD would never be read to, always far more interested in everything else going on around her, but always has 2 or 3 books on the go, mostly rubbish probably but I don't mind what she reads. I noticed when we went away last weekend she had taken a file she has with lyrics of her favorite songs for bed time reading.
Dh didn't start reading novels until he met me, then he just read on holiday but now always has a novel to read.
Most reading in our house is actually done at bed time, so going to bed early is probably a good idea.

[mimsum]

I don't agree that books can't compete with wii/xbox etc

both my boys are prolific readers and have been since the age of 7 or so (now 12 and 9) and they play wii etc, do lots of sport and the elder one has homework yet they still have time to read - and they get through books at an astounding rate

they don't really watch tv though, they're just not interested in many programmes

however, reading a lot has nothing to do with intelligence or having book-worm parents - one of ds1's friends is just as bright as he is, comes from a house filled with books, had the same opportunities to access books as ds1 - and he hates reading, much to his parents' dismay

Sadly you can't force your children to have the same interests as you - I'm musical, play lots of instruments and sing and my dc are all tone deaf and completely uninterested in learning to play anything I've just had to accept it - my mum won't though!

[singersgirl]

DS1 (nearly 11) is a very able reader, and reads a lot when I think about it, but I think he's not reading because he's really not interested in novels. And I'm a prolific novel reader.

He reads about whatever his current obsession is - so right now it's football and his head is always in a copy of Match magazine or another football mag/book or the sports pages of the paper. Before that it was Doctor Who, Star Wars, James Bond, Top Gear, Yugi-Oh!, Pokemon etc. It's unfortunate that he doesn't seem to be interested in anything very worthy, like science or nature.

DS2 (nearly 8) is a keener reader but still not what I would call avid. He reads every morning when he wakes up and, if his current novel is interesting him, he'll read that then; if not, he'll read magazines, short story books, nature books. He is in fact usually reading when I wonder where he is - but, again, very little of it's highbrow stuff.

[CDMforever]

Lots of great advice, thanks MNs! DS1 has almost finished the Hobbit and about to start Skullduggery Pleasant (the peer pressure thing I think Lucysmum, as he said lots of his friends are reading it). I like the idea of me reading the odd chapter to keep his interest up too.
All DC now in land of nod, I'm off to have a jolly good read!

[Ponders]

IMO you can't turn a child into a reader - they either are or they aren't. DS2 was always a very able reader, & is a bright kid, but was never interested in fiction & not that keen on non-fiction either.

V disappointing for me, as we have a vast collection of good children's literature, but it's not about me, & he's happy enough.

[Ponders]

He's 16 now, currently reading Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything - quoted some of it in an English GCSE in fact - but would still rather watch Scrubs or Peep Show, or play football on XBox, or talk to friends on messenger...

[marmoset]

I think ponders is right but sometimes it can take a particular author to set off an avid reader.
We had similar situation with ds2 who is 10, CDM. He then discovered Darren Shan by himself (children's horror writer - yuk) and was hooked. Luckily, he is now branching out into less gory material now - Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a good call and so is Skullduggery Pleasant. He also likes Antony Horowitz's whodunnits (The French Confection etc). He is rarely without a book now.

[Nighbynight]

seeker has a good point, I feel, about the vampire/horror/fantasy stuff. It's so awful, and the bookshops here (Germany) are full of this stuff. Also pink giggly Sweet-Valley-High type books aimed at girls.

[bruffin]

I don't agree, reading should not just be about education, it's also about about relaxing and enjoyment. Nothing wrong with a bit of pap for a comfort read, if it creates the sort of world you want to be whisked away into.

[karise]

I firmly believe that DD's reading ability was all to do with her LeapPad & Leapster! Her character is such that she likes to discover things for herself, so she has never been happier than when given a fun learning aid that she knows is teaching her phonics, maths etc. She is nearly 7 now and is still hooked on her leapster- now she can read, she's actually loving the maths games! So now she's learning to love multiplication, division, science, geography etc without us having to nag at all.
I think all schools should give children electronic books so that they can learn at their own pace & would buy every 2 year old in the country one if I could!

[Nighbynight]

bruffin, I would prefer that my daughter did not relax with a vampire!
Books dont have to be worthy, but neither do they have to be repulsive. I think part of the reason dd doesnt read very much is that she doesnt like this kind of trash.

[Jeanette38]

I think there are lots of valid points in here modelling the behaviour [let them see you reading], making reading fun, choosing material they have an interest in [even if it's non fiction], not putting undue pressure on them, making it part of a routine [eg at bedtime].
Reading is important for literacy skills to develop and IMHO boys tend to want to persue more active activities which is why bedtime works for us to wind down and read for 1/2 hour before sleep.
However as a mother of 4 boys they are all different and although we have one who chose to read War and Peace we have another who we strugle to get to read anything at all.