How do I get my 6 year old to read

[Pinkflamingo98]

We have a 6 year old daughter who refuses to read anything when we are home, even though we know she can read as she has done in the past and reads at a good level at school. But when she is at home we can’t get her to read anything, we have tried various different books and even resorted back to “my first library” which we know she can read as she has done previously and is on higher level books now.

last night we tried reading as a family with us all helping her if she struggled on a word. She would sound out a read each word individually, but when we asked her to read all the words together she had a meltdown. We tried to calm her down nothing was getting her out of the meltdown so then of course we couldn’t get her to read and she was stressing herself out. The most frustrating part is that we know she can do it as she has done before, as a family we have always said we don’t care so much about the outcome of grades as long as we know our children have tried their best so we don’t mind if she isn’t reading at the highest level we just want her to be able to read enough that it doesn’t hold her back in life.

does anyone have any advice on how we can help her? Thankyou

Reading for leisure just isn’t for everyone. My daughter hated reading at home but we knew she could do it at school and teacher was unconcerned. She now has a PhD and works as a biochemist so clearly nothing wrong with the brain. Just try to relax about it.

Read to her lots
let her see you reading
let her read each word then you read the sentence and then all together
have patience

I’d second the recommendation for the ‘Bunny vs Monkey’ comic books, or the Phoenix magazine in general. My DD was also a reluctant reader at that age (despite reading well at school), and getting her a subscription to The Phoenix got her reading when nothing else had an impact.

It sounds like a tricky situation with her Nan looking after her in the evening due to the night shifts. If she doesn’t listen to you and your DH about phone use, could you say that the school is asking for X amount of reading time every evening so no phone until that’s been done?

I think you need to step back a little. The biggest gift you can give a child is showing them the magic of books and all that comes with it. Take her to a book shop or library and choose books together. Read to her. Don’t put stress on her. Let her enjoy the story and let her experience the “ just one more chapter “ dance. Let her see the pages and the words when you read to her. Once she sees the word a book opens she will read. But this situation will never get her to love reading. She is only 6. Usually it’s like a knot that comes undone development wise and she will sound out and link - in hee own time. Do the homework reading with her but “ fun reading “ and enjoy a book together should be a very different experience.

First reader books are dull and fantastic literature is better when they’re a bit older imo.

Fact books/ comics / joke books/ bunny vs monkey/ dog man / absolute dross churned out books about things she already likes pokemon/ my little pony / kids recipe books.

Bunnh bs monkey and dog man boomics are hugely popular around this age.

I particularly recommend joke books. It doesn’t matter what she’s reading (so long as it’s suitable)

Also remove screen options - when there’s less to do books become more interesting and absorbing.

Read to her at bedtime. Pick books that are above her reading ability. Every night she gets a chapter (or two as a treat). Leave the book by her bed, and if you do catch her reading after lights out, then ignore it.

Ds wasn't keen on reading, but he loved being read to, and I used to leave the book by his bed, and sometimes the next night he'd tell me he'd finished it or had read several chapters. I then would express disappointment that I'd missed out of the story.

I chose books I'd enjoyed as a child mostly, but ones that had things round his interests until I knew the sort of thing he enjoyed.
His favourites were:
Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease
Mystery at Witchend/The Gay Dolphin Adventure by Malcolm Saville.

Calvin & Hobbes anthologies. All my kids adored them. I had to bin them they got so worn out.

I remember my father reading me the Gay Dolphin Adventure... brilliant book.

And then him being very unhappy when one of us 'borrowed' my mother's engagement ring for a particular purpose... as you may imagine 😂

She will when she is ready. When she wants to/sees a need. 6yo really dont NEED to read and write but sadly schools push it on kids from the moment they start, even at 3 years old. Its a proven fact that starting at 7 leads to equal or better results in 11 yos (when compared with kids who started very young) as demonstrated in the Scandinavian school system (If my memory serves me correctly). So Id leave her be. Kids are tired after a long day at school etc. When she is ready she will read. :)