Building (or finding) Motivation
When my girls are faced with either going to bed or going to bed they will reach for books, most likely because it prolongs the inevitable…bedtime. And that is more than okay with me. Whether it is recently checked-out library books or trusted old favorites from the bedroom bookshelf, this is their time to read independently. Because they share a bedroom there has been many an occasion that one will read aloud to the other. That is nirvana for mommy and “found’ motivation for reading.
In an attempt to build motivation for reading I have two simple rules in this house:
#1 Whatever my child wants to read at home for pleasure is up to them. Are they only reading comic books, Junie B. Jones, or sports magazines? Great! They have developed a reading preference and they are a reader. The more practice you get with anything the better you get at it.
Once our kids are reading anything it is then up to us to keep the motivation to read going. How we get them motivated is different for many children and that can be more of a challenge for some. Providing choice for your child is key here. Your child needs to feel empowered in selecting what interests them.
#2 Wherever you are in our house there are reading materials within eye-shot. The girls have a bookshelf in their bedroom, a bookshelf in the playroom and a bookshelf in the family room. Ninety-nine percent of these books were either bought at garage sales (the best place to build a great collection!) or given to us as gifts. Having books easily accessible is inevitably going to tempt our little ones eventually pick them up and take a closer look. The same goes for their time on the computer. I encourage them to take a look at new selections from Be There Bedtime Stories from time to time. They enjoy perusing the new books and deciding which one they want to send to which lucky aunt, uncle or grandparent.