Five Ways to Get Your Child Reading

 5 easy tips to turn your child into a voracious reader. My "expert" status? I love to read, I am a mom, and my daughter reads at two grade levels above her age. I may not be that awesome but employing these five little tips may have your child reading in no time.

My daughter is visiting her dad this summer (something she's done since our divorce) and I always worry that she will lose what she's learned the past school year (and from me) while she's living it up with him. That's not to say I think he will "dumb her down" but...well maybe its my Type A personality scooting to the front during the summer months.
This summer I have no worries, though. Yesterday I spent a fabulous 48 minutes on the phone with my little angel and during that time was treated to a reading from her. I am always amazed by how smart my Maggie is and tend to credit all of her influences, not JUST me; however, I can take pride in how well she reads, her inflection and comprehension, and her ability to use and pronounce the big words as well as the small ones.

The tips I've used are almost a no brain-er for me but I thought I would share what I consider 5 key ways for turning your child into a lover of the written word. With a healthy appetite for reading I believe anyone can do anything they put their mind to.

Tip # 1:
Be a reader and share your love with your child-All kids like to copy what they see others doing and if your child sees you reading often, he or she will want to as well.

Tip # 2:
Read to your child daily-I've been reading to Maggie since she was but a blob in my belly-Spend 10-15-20 minutes or more a day sharing a story with your child.

Tip #3:
Encourage your child to help you read the story you've chosen-Once your child is old enough to start recognizing certain words, let him or her become an active part of telling the story.

Tip # 4:
Seek outside help (workbooks and/or tutoring)-Don't be afraid to admit that you wish your child was a better reader. If the situation reaches a point where you need outside tutoring, there are plenty of ways to get it. Check out your local libraries, bookstores, and research on-line for great tools to get them reading.

Tip # 5:
Take time to hear a story and interact with your child-Once your child can read on his or her own, encourage private time (for them to read on their own) and time with them to hear their story. Help with big words--pronouncing and defining, teach proper inflection (e.g., reading questions, character conversations, etc.), and make this a fun part of your day.

Again, the above worked for us and I am consistently and amazed by my smart girl. I believe in nature AND nurture when raising a child, and this is one area where I can honestly say I had SOMEthing to do with her reading success. Oh, and don't forget to praise your child when he or she blows you away with this awesome reading ability! Good luck with raising voracious readers!!!