Cultivating a Love for Reading

One vital aspect of our kids' education is to cultivate a fondness for reading. My kids did NOT inherit this from me. I did not "enjoy reading" for fun. I saw it as a chore for me followed by pages of reports. Quite honestly I was much more engaged in the storyline that Nintendo's "Legends of Zelda" provided me. I grew up, however, and have definitely read my fair share of books since those days.

Fast forward to homeschooling. My firstborn son wasn't excited about books when we started and I made excuses for him.

"It's just not his thing."

I didn't know how to excite him about books because I didn't know what books were out there that were exciting at his age. I soon realized I needed to get excited *with him*, take a step back into my childhood, and discover things I had missed at his age. But, I didn't know where to even start.

Until I met Sara. My dear friend gave me the gift of revival. With a few practical tips, I watched the love of books sprout and grow in my children - and myself. And I didn't even force them.

Here are just a few practical tips I have learned along the road from my dear friend Sara:

First, build your home library with fantastic books. Look for beautiful illustrations with well-written stories and information.

Second, read out loud books you eventually would love your kids to read one day. Your example will shine! Don't worry about the age level of the book too much. There is something about me reading out loud that makes all my kids FLOCK to me. Your example of reading is pivotal.

Lastly, have them be accessible. A fancy shelf is only fun if it's being read. There will be more on this, but Sara told me about book baskets. She said, set these books in a basket in a common area. Then, wait like bait. It worked! My son grabbed some books, went to lay on the trampoline and read! I didn't even have to force it.

Enjoy these sweet and easy tips this summer and come back for more soon as we discuss even further. 

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