How can I make reading seem less of a chore to my children?

Question

My boys are 10, 8, and 6. My 6 year old is a very advanced reader for his age. He is reading at almost 4th grade level and he's only in first grade. My older chlidren however moan and groan everytime I tell them to read a book. Reading to me is a form of entertainment, to them it's "boooorrriiiiing!". How can I make them love literature the way I do? They have no idea what they're missing!

Answer 1

any reading is still reading....let them read comic books...or have them read about something they like or want to know more about. Find books that match their interests.

Answer 2

read with them, read to them, visit a library, get rid of the TV, buy books & magazines that interest them, model the behavior you want them to emulate.....

Answer 3

Make it exciting. Demonstrate interest. Ask them to tell you about what they are reading, and indulge the conversation. Prompt them - if they do not like to read, you will need to do so cheerfully. When they don't want to (ahhh mmaahhmm!!), give them the puppy-dog face.  Try to guess the actions of characters involved, and enjoy it when they correct you. Read stories to them. When you do so, read with passion as if YOU are the character. Add accents, deepen your voice. Make sure facial expression conveys the sentiment of the line or paragraph. Always end the reading at that point where excitement is high, a mystery may be reviled, or some important piece of information is about to be presented. When it is time to read again, ask "...where were we now?" and let them tell you.

Make sure that what they are reading will spark the imagination. You are competing with TV, video games, DS, and so on. Technical stuff, history and so on will not work to begin with. The generation today does not know how to use their imaginations - it's all done for them. You have got to demonstrate that a book in the hands of one most imaginative and literate is a most powerful source of entertainment and information. Once your kids learn how to use this, you may find it hard to stop them. And turn off that d**n TV!

These are the things I did with my own child when she was six. She hated to read. By twelve, she had read Homer's Odyssey (poetic prose) and become a twice published poet.  By 14, she had read the unabridged works of Shakespeare. by 16, she had read the collective works of Poe. She should be an English major when she enters college in the fall, but has a preference for Psychology and Criminology.

I never got upset with her, I read to her constantly, and she read to me. Above all, I never gave up.

Answer 4

Get them excited about it...  make a day of going out for a milkshake and to the book store to each pick out a new one (or even the library).  Let them pick anything that interests them.  Even if its a coffee table book full of pictures, they'll still read the captions.  If you make it a big deal and an "event", they may take to it.  If they are into sports, bands, whatever, let them get books about those subjects.  Literature will come later, as long as they read SOMETHING, its a start.  

You could also maybe offer mom-approved magazine subscriptions as rewards if that's more thier speed.

Answer 5

What my brother did for his kids was.....

He would give them a number of books they had to read, and then reward his children with video games.  He would read the same books and ask them questions to make sure they were reading.