How is the announcement, “Time to read,” met in your household? It might be met with the disappearance of your child as they cuddle in a corner of their room to read all afternoon.
Or it might be met with resistance and adamant alternative requests for movies or computer games. Either way, the idea of reading may cause a disconnect within your family. Would you like to bring reading out of isolation or meet the resistance head-on?
Here’s a simple solution:
Family Read Time.
Make reading a family event. Schedule time to read as a family. Could you make this a daily ritual? At the very least, how about a weekend event?
Here’s a few simple steps:
- Set a timer to a predetermined time.
- Fifteen minutes is great for early readers (or children who are at the picture-looking stage.) Thirty minutes to an hour is good for older children.
- Turn off all media and sound distractions.
- Everyone read in the same room.
- After the timer goes off, spend a few minutes sharing about what each of you read. Stimulate the discussion with a few simple questions:
- What happened?
- Was there a character you are most like and why?
- Where does the story take place? Describe the setting.
- What did you like best about the part you read?
In our family, we do Family Read Time several times a week. I love to look around the room and see everyone immersed in their books. We’re creating a positive family ritual and reading at the same time. Win-Win.
