Thursday, February 11, 2010

Booking Through Encouragement

Booking Through ThursdayCheck Spelling

How can you encourage a non-reading child to read? What about a teen-ager? Would you require books to be read in the hopes that they would enjoy them once they got into them, or offer incentives, or just suggest interesting books? If you do offer incentives and suggestions and that doesn’t work, would you then require a certain amount of reading?

Being single, I don't have children of my own but that has not stopped me from encouraging any child to read. I have nieces and nephews and I have always bought them books. My brothers too like that fact as it has made the kids read all kinds of books. I used to read aloud stories for them. I gave away all my Enid Blytons, Nancy Drews, Hardy Boys, Tintin comics, Asterix comics and lot more. Even now they can pick and choose whatever they wish to from my shelves. For keeps, if they want. I do suggest books but let them decide what they want.

The only incentive they need is more books and I am happy to provide. I suppose reading is in our blood!

11 comments:

Harvee said...

What a nice aunt you are to open your personal library to the children! And they get to keep the books!

I took my kids to the library often when they were in kindergarten through grammar schoo. In high school, they refused to accompany me any longer. But happy to say, they still read books. One of them has be kept away from Barnes and Noble because of the amount of books he wants to buy and keep! He doesn't go to the library! Where did I go wrong?

Ceri said...

I completely agree. I imagine I'd be the kind of aunt who bought books for my neices and nephews too. Reading aloud is such a great way to create a loving bond and it brings that encouragement for reading out. They'll remember how nice if felt when they were kids and want to do more of it. :)

fredamans said...

Really good answer.

http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2010/02/booking-through-thursday-encouragement.html

bermudaonion said...

I think you're doing it the right way!

pussreboots said...

I have a fairly open library in my home too. I'm constantly loaning or giving books to friends and family. My post is here

Jo-Jo said...

Sounds like you are doing a great job as an aunt! My niece and nephew will be coming for a visit so hopefully I will be able to distill some love of reading into them at that time.

Melody said...

You're a great aunt!! :)

Violet said...

Your nieces and nephews are very lucky, if I had an aunt like you I would have started reading very young :)

Anonymous said...

What a great aunt you are!

Suko said...

You do sound like a great aunt, one who cares about reading and nurtures others.

Parents, teachers, relatives, and other adults need to help cultivate in children a love of reading early in life by reading to them, taking them to libraries and bookstores, and by treating time spent together reading as something precious and special.

Veens said...

I wish I had enough kids around to cultivate this habit in them!

I hope mine will read ;)