My daughter hates reading, help

campbellac23 · Post by **campbellac23** » 27 Aug 2014, 19:23

I am an English major and I read often. All my children love reading as well, except for my eight year old daughter. She is required to read 20 minutes a night as homework, but every night is a fight. How can I help her learn to love reading without making it feel like a chore or a punishment?

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 27 Aug 2014, 19:36

I FEEL FOR YOU, when you get the answer pls. let me know............I have the same prob w/my grandson...

gali · Post by **gali** » 28 Aug 2014, 00:57

campbellac23 wrote:I am an English major and I read often. All my children love reading as well, except for my eight year old daughter. She is required to read 20 minutes a night as homework, but every night is a fight. How can I help her learn to love reading without making it feel like a chore or a punishment?

First, she should know she has to read to improve her reading and that it is for her own good. My son is around that age and he knows he has to read every day in order to be a good student. He loves stories, so he doesn't see it as a chore. I used to read him every night, before he learned to read, and now it becomes a habit. I also let him choose the book himself. That way he is more inclined to read.

I suggest that you will read together with her and let her choose the book herself. You can read to her and then she can read to you or you can read your own book while she reads. Maybe you should move the reading to an earlier time, so she would be less tired when reading. There is no law saying she has to read in the evening only.

I read with my son daily and since he becomes tired in the evening, I have divided his reading time. In he evening we read a book aloud alternatively. I read one page and he reads the next one and so on. He loves it when I read to him, so this motivates him to read by himself . During the day he reads a book by himself, a chapter per day at least. I read next to him in my own book, since he loves it when I read with him. Good luck!

Gravy · Post by **Gravy** » 28 Aug 2014, 03:36

campbellac23 wrote:I am an English major and I read often. All my children love reading as well, except for my eight year old daughter. She is required to read 20 minutes a night as homework, but every night is a fight. How can I help her learn to love reading without making it feel like a chore or a punishment?

suzy1124 wrote:I FEEL FOR YOU, when you get the answer pls. let me know............I have the same prob w/my grandson...

First off, what do they like?
Is your daughter into princesses or fairies?
Does your grandson like dinosaurs or cowboys?
Any combination?

I had the same problem when I was a kid. No one could get me to read and now you couldn't get me to stop.
The first book that turned me from a non-reader to a reader was The Neverending Story by Michael Ende.
I wanted to read it because I loved the movie.

Fablehaven might be a good series to get them hooked on. Fairies and magical creatures tossed together with lots of adventure. The author is Brandon Mull.
Don't lose hope though because it wasn't until people stopped pushing me that I found the joy of reading.
It was so hard (I had some eye problems) and it hurt.
I felt like it was a chore and one no one felt I was doing right.
I also felt the books being offered were too young for me.
I won't say this is sure fire but I hope it helps.
Best wishes.

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 28 Aug 2014, 03:53

Thanks for your input, I'm hoping that it's just a " phase " that he'll grow out of ( he's 18 )...presently, his top priority is TEXTING w/his girlfriend...

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 28 Aug 2014, 06:29

@suzy1124
I think perhaps the horse has bolted on that one!

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 28 Aug 2014, 06:32

campbellac23 · Post by **campbellac23** » 28 Aug 2014, 10:54

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll try them all. Graverobber you're right, the more I push, the more she resists. Gali, I read a couple pages to her last night to get her started and she was more willing to read on while I finished dinner. I appreciate the help. I'll do whatever it takes to turn on her light.

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 28 Aug 2014, 11:58

Good luck!, forgot to say that when he was younger he LOVED reading...

campbellac23 · Post by **campbellac23** » 28 Aug 2014, 19:23

Suzy1124, I think your grandson might come back to reading later. I loved reading when I was young and when I hit my teens I lost interest. I didn't really get back into reading until my 20's and now I can't resist.

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 28 Aug 2014, 19:27

Ihope you're right!, well in the meantime good luck w/your daughter...

Gravy · Post by **Gravy** » 28 Aug 2014, 20:05

suzy1124 wrote:Thanks for your input, I'm hoping that it's just a " phase " that he'll grow out of ( he's 18 )...presently, his top priority is TEXTING w/his girlfriend...

Girls...the phase that never ends