Shall I pay DD13 to read books?

[Epictantrum]

My DD has been doing some chores to earn some money and it really seems to motivate her. What I would much prefer that she do however, is read. She has never been a big reader, she has loads of books which she does enjoy but will literally take a week to read a chapter, there are just other things she would rather do. I love reading and I think it is so important for her ongoing education, but I can’t work out how to get her into it. I wonder if she got stuck into a book, even for the wrong reasons (being paid), as she gets more fluent it will become easier and she might start to enjoy it more. Has anyone else tried this?

Depends what else she is doing? If it's doom scrolling and gaming endlessly then just moderate that but if she is doing a variety of other things then maybe not?

Encourage her to read before she goes to sleep and also on weekend mornings before she gets up.

Can she read on car journeys? Both mine do.

Encourage her to use your local library or her school library. Both my two love finding new books at the library even if they do moan when I tell them to go.

Always have a book or kindle on holiday.

Remove phone if its a distraction.

Sometimes, suggest a quiet hour reading at the weekend if she is bored.

Encourage a visit to your local bookshop. They are always great at recommending new authors.

Oh and don't pay her. Reading is not a chore.

I’ve never got this obsession with kids reading books - and I say this as an avid reader who is heartbroken neither of mine read for pleasure. Some kids just don’t enjoy reading novels. If they can and do read in the context of school studies, or other sources like magazines, websites, cookbooks or whatever floats their particular boat then that’s FINE. The notion of payment to sit and read a book is bonkers

She has some screen time, but even when not on screens will do anything rather than read; reorganise her bedroom, drawing, crafts, faffing about with make up. She also does a lot of sport. I do encourage her to read all the time but she just isn’t interested, and I don’t want to force it. It is baffling to me as I could read all day long, and I often did at her age. The only thing that works is if we sit and read together, I’ll do a page, she’ll do a page out loud. But I was really hoping I wouldn’t still be having to do this, and of course it is painfully slow progress and we don’t always have time.

How would you know she’s done the reading though?

She could go off to her room and say I’ve done an hour’s reading, can I have my money and how would you check?

I don't think there is any point. She could just pretend to read in order to get the money. You could read a book together. Share the excitement of a story unfolding. I'm sure I still read to my DS at that age. He's mildly dyslexic and would preferentially read factual books, but would enjoy a good novel if read to him.

What sort of things does she interested in? We might be able to suggest books she would enjoy. What does she like on TV?

Interesting question;

https://scholar.harvard.edu/sandel/publications/what-money-cant-buy-moral-limits-markets

Abstract:
Should we pay children to read books or to get good grades? Should we put a price on human life to decide how much pollution to allow? Is it ethical to pay people to test risky new drugs or to donate their organs? What about hiring mercenaries to fight our wars, outsourcing inmates to for-profit prisons, auctioning admission to elite universities, or selling citizenship to immigrants willing to pay?....

ETA - it's a really interesting book. All of his books are great reads.

Yes I would anything to motivate to read more.
I know you haven't said but if you have another child who does read anyway pay them too or pay them to do something that they equally don't do.
Keeping busy with crafts etc is really positive too.

I was thinking of doing a quiz on each book (she does like quizzes) and maybe give her a month to read each one. No plans to nag her to read, quiz at the end of the month and a fiver if she passes it.

This!

I read as much as possible. I love reading. I always have. DC2 loves reading, but spends too much time gaming these days. DC1 sort of likes reading, but is very slow at it, and had found literally a handful of books he likes.

I wish DC2 would game less and read more. I wish DC1 just found reading easier and enjoyed it more. But ultimately, they like what they like. I wouldn't pay them to read, that turns it into a chore and feeds the idea that it's not enjoyable.

It is baffling to me as I could read all day long

It is baffling that your DD is a different person with different preferences?

She does craft, drawing and sport.

It'd be unhelpful and manipulative to pay her to read, just because you enjoyed reading.

Yeah the problem is that then it’s basically like schoolwork and that’s a surefire way to put her off reading!

I have one keen reader and one who rejects 19 out of 20 books but loves the 20th. So maybe the trick is finding the right book? Does she have any friends who are keen readers? My DC always seem happier to read their friends’ recommendations than mine…

Do it. I hope she hollows out the pages and hides her phone in it. Then the night before your quiz she can spend half an hour reading about it on Wikipedia.

Seriously OP, just no. For fuck sake.

For some it really is!

I always tried to make reading fun, and never forced it. Dyslexia and ADHD and Irlens can make reading really difficult - I used to pay DS £5 per book, when he was in secondary school and had no idea of how else to motivate him to do something that seemed physically painful for him.

She gets quite excited about books, such as the heart stopper series, or hunger games, I think she likes the idea of it, but just can’t focus well enough.
It is not just because I want her to enjoy it because I do. It’s mainly because I know that every stage of her education will be so much easier if she can read really well, and that only comes with practice. Most education experts seem to say it is the single most important predictor of success. She struggles with homework sometimes as she just can’t engage with reading a passage of information. This is what is worrying me.

I am wondering why you are so bothered by her not choosing to read very much. Has she struggled with reading at primary school, is it affecting her progress at school? If not and she has lots of other interests, her crafts and sport , why worry she just has different interests from you. I personally have never enjoyed reading although encouraged as a child. It didn't stop me from being a primary teacher! My own DC I have a dd who basically taught herself to read at 2 1/2 and has always had her head in a book right through to adulthood. My ds never read books, got into the Beano and later comic books. Left school having only read about 2 proper fiction books apart from school set books. Didn't hinder him, he ended up with 1st class degree. We are just all different. I certainly wouldn't pay her that just gives the wrong message.

Audiobooks?

If she WANTS them, that is.

I don’t think I can put her off reading any more than she is already.
I just wondered if has the same feeling I sometimes get at the start of a book, before I get into it. If I can find a way to get her over the hump it might start to come naturally.

I also offered to pay DD to read books, but unless I'd read the book there was no way I could quiz her and know if she'd read the book- she later admitted that she would read the blurb on the back cover and then just made up crap in response to my questions. She was very articulate and convincing, and had me fooled that she'd read the books, despite being virtually illiterate!

Hmmm, I might need to give it more thought. Maybe a non cash reward, like a tea and cake out or a cinema trip, would be more palatable.

Her difficulty taking in passages in homework is perhaps a processing issue entirely separate to enjoyment (or otherwise) of novels. My kids both have degrees from good universities in “wordy” subjects that required a lot of reading, writing essays and dissertations. Neither has to my knowledge ever read a novel for pleasure. I’d be concentrating on the why she finds her homework difficult rather than worrying about her not being into reading for pleasure

www.thetimes.com/article/dde8e228-e320-4c23-97ce-ee5e4d4d2faa?shareToken=49b993281e96850e4112979a32201e83