â¨Itâs not an exaggeration to say my 11-year-old reads hundreds of books a year.
She loves books. I mean, LOVES them. Usually, there are 4 or 5 tucked in her bed. She carries books everywhere we go, re-reads her favorites, and even uses them as rewards for hard work. I could go on, but Iâd rather you hear it from her. I start every clip with my kidsâ laughter so enjoyđ
What you wouldnât guess?
Five years ago, she hated reading.
At school, it was their only complaint. âSheâs academically strong, but wonât read.â After we started homeschooling, we faced the same challenge. Iâd get age appropriate books, stories everyoneâs kid loved. Sheâd start but never finish. She just wasnât interested.
What did we do?
We pulled back. We started reading to her. For months, Iâd read my girls to sleep every night. We read all sort of stories, but Iâll never forget the one that changed everything.
Stick Cat (affiliate link - but usually available at libraries). Itâs unassuming, itâs not a classic, but itâs adorable, funny, and most importantly every chapter ends in a cliff-hanger. For several nights in a row, she grew increasingly irritated that the chapter clipped off in the middle. Then, I heard the sweetest words, âCan I read ahead?â
I gave her the book and the rest is history. Since then, she has read herself to sleep every night.
The truth is: learning to love reading doesnât start with ABCs, phonics, or even with our children.
It starts with usâthe way we live, talk, and share stories.
đĽBUT, thereâs a big difference between sparking a love of reading and sustaining it into the love you hear in my 11 year-olds voice above.
To sustain a love of reading, you must create a culture of reading in your home, and thatâs what weâll talk about today.
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