Do you struggle to get your kids excited about reading? There are a few reading “sins” that may affect a child’s love of reading. Find out how to fix these common mistakes while reading to kids.

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Fighting back when kids want to reread the same story

Rereading the same book night after night can be exhausting for parents. You get tired of the same story and the same rhymes. You can repeat them without looking at the pages. While this may be annoying to you, hearing the same story over and over is actually really beneficial to kids.

Each time they hear the story, they pick up on more of the plot, the tone, the character development, the rhyme patterns, etc. They are able to start filling in some of the words on their own, especially if the text has a good rhyme. They will also be able to retell the story in their own way, which is an important skill to develop. Plus, the comfort of hearing a favorite story over and over again adds an emotional level to your reading time, which helps them tie reading to positive feelings.

So instead of forcing a new book on them every night, give in to the repeated stories. (Although I have been known to send certain books on vacation after a while, to be found again sometime later on).

Not letting kids read graphic novels

There are a lot of people who believe that graphic novels aren’t “real books”. This is also common when discussing comic books. However, I completely disagree with this argument. Are they reading? Are they putting the screens away and reading stories on the page? Then don’t stress!

There are so many milestones and guidelines for kids and reading, that we often worry about what they “should” be reading. But as adults, we don’t exactly read what we “should” be reading all the time either! Sure we could only read the classics, or brilliant texts on philosophy or ethics, but sometimes we want to escape with a romance novel or a thriller too. Reading should be enjoyable. If we force kids to read what they “should” be reading and discount what they want to read, then they will grow to dislike reading as a whole.

Related Post: Let Kids Read What They Want

Telling kids that memorizing a story isn’t reading

My daughter has been retelling her favorite stories since she was old enough to talk and open a book. Of course she wasn’t reading the text written on the page, but those early interactions with text helped her to build important skills. When a child listens to a story over and over, then picks up that book and retells the story, they are reading the book. They are “reading” the illustrations, and using the skills that they have to make sense of the book in front of them, even if they aren’t reading the words.

Similarly, when kids are able to read, they may reread the same story over and over again to the point that they have it memorized. As they flip the pages, you may see that they are repeating it word for word, without even looking at each word on the page. This may seem like they aren’t “reading” the text, but that’s not true. They are aware of the text on the page and have studied it. This counts as reading too! Let’s not discourage them reading something so often that they have it memorized.

Forcing kids to read against their will

I am a bookworm. I love to read. But you know what? Some days it just doesn’t happen. Some nights I am too tired, or I can’t find just the right book to suit my interests. The same is true for kids. My daughter is just starting to read. She has the ability if she tries hard enough, but I am not forcing her because I recognize that it can get frustrating. So I have set out a selection of books that she can read to me, and once a day or so I casually ask if she would like to read to me. I sometimes offer a reward or treat we can share if she does. Some days she takes me up on it and some days she doesn’t. But the days that she chooses to read to me go a lot more smoothly than the days that I push it.

I recognize that a lot of schools require that students read a certain number of pages or minutes a night, and I recognize where that kind of tracking can be needed. But when it is possible, try to make reading a fun, no pressure situation instead of a forced necessity. I have a variety of free reading trackers that can make that daily reading time into a fun challenge instead of an argument. Set up a Book Bingo board and encourage kids to cross off as many squares as they can. Or print out Reading punch cards and use a hole punch on each circle for a certain amount of reading. As adults, we often plan rewards for ourselves when we meet a certain goal. Why not give kids the same motivation?

Related Post: 5 Things Experts Don’t Tell You About Reading to Kids

Not reading aloud to your kids

This is one of the easiest reading sins to avoid. Reading to kids is one of the best ways to promote a love of reading in your home. No matter the age of your kids, there are fun ways to read together. Once kids are able to read on their own, you can still choose more advanced books to share together. Not only does reading to kids show them how important reading is, but it helps them associate positive feelings with reading. Reading books to them that they aren’t ready to read themselves also helps them improve their vocabulary and fluency. Plus it gives you the opportunity to talk to them about what you are reading, and help them to understand the story and the topics that it addresses.

What reading sins do you think can hurt the reading culture in a home? Share in the comments below!

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