When you have kids are you going to make them read?

[mpanello]

I have a teenager and a five-year-old (yeah, I know...big gap). I read to the teen tons when she was little and now she goes through books like crazy. I don't know that she does that because I read to her, but she certainly has had the exposure. I've introduced her to many books, depending on her age. When she was older I "made" her read the Narnia Books and The Hobbit and when she was an itty bitty we read all of my favorites like Goodnight Moon and I'll Love you forever and every Stephen Cosgrove book we could find. Its been fun now as she is 17 and she often recommends books to me. Short stories, essays, novels, feminist, whatever its is. Its cool to watch her interests grow as a reader. I read often to my son and it will interesting to see if he is a reader or not. He certainly can read skill wise but he doesn't seem as interested as my daughter was. Although he does read the Minecraft Books....I guess its all about where your interest lays.

[Chris Dutton]

Both my kids - one 5 and one 2 love books, and we read to them and try and get them to join in, imagine what's happening...hopefully this will continue once they can both read properly and therefore read for themselves.

[LivreAmour217]

I have a son, and over summer vacation I make him read every day for at least 30 minutes. He is an enigma to me: an advanced reader who doesn't enjoy reading (he gets the former from me, and the latter from my husband, I think). If I didn't make him read over the summer, he would just sit in front of the TV all day!! During the school year, it's not an issue because he has to read a book of his choice for 20 minutes every night, Monday through Thursday.

Ditto! My kids are both in advanced reading and don't meet their accelerated reading goals (AR). They both have As in reading and are in the highest reading groups at school. But instead of sitting in front of the TV all day, they play on the Wii or sit on social networking by the hour. Very frustrating. I can't wrap my mind around it. I love them dearly but I'd love to burn that Wii to the ground!

Well, I'm glad to hear that it's not just my child! I think the videogames and social networking are generational things. I mean, I played Nintendo when I was a kid, but I did lots of other things as well. Today, these kids think that they're gonna die if they're not staring at a screen every minute of the day!!! All we can do is limit access and hope that they grow out of it, I guess!

[darkhuntress]

When and if I have kids I will make sure to read to them and make sure they read enough, I won't force them to like reading that is their choice not mine.

[MarieMc]

I read to my kids when they were little, and I made them read at least the assigned reading for school. On trips I would read a book aloud and as they got older we would take turns reading a book out loud to help make time pass. I am blessed to say that all three of my sons love to read. They each have their own tastes. But it is great that they read.

[pretzelsnow]

When I have children I won't force them to read although I would love if they did and I would always encourage by reading them from a young age and of course having a big library with colorful children's books that would entice them and delight my children.

[Ama Idim]

When I have kids, I'll like for them to love reading. I'll encourage them by helping them cultivate the habit from a young age but I'll ensure that I'm not forcing them.

[Spontaneo]

I would never force my child.

[khudecek]

I would never force my child.

You won't have to. The schools will do it for you.

I don't understand why my kids don't like to read. It blows my mind. I've tried to reason with them and beg them and still they won't pick up a book. I've tried getting them books on topics that they are interested in. They might read a few pages or skim through it and cast it aside.

They aren't video game junkies. They never play them. They aren't TV buffs, so that isn't the problem. One of my sons is a computer guru and designs things for simulators while my other son is a bicycle enthusiast.

Why can't they take 20 minutes a day to pick up a book?

[KN17488]

When I have kids I'm not going to make them read because I feel like that may just turn them away from reading. I will read to them when they are young, but when they get older I will let them chose for themselves if they want to read or not. My parents never forced my sister or I into reading. I think it just is if it interests someone or not because everyone is different.

[Brandi Noelle]

I have always believed if you read to your children from a young age (consistently), they will have a better chance of becoming lovers of books. I started reading to my daughter when she was just 5 months old. I quickly tired of the simple baby books, however, and started buying books that were for much older kids. By the time she was 2-years-old, I was reading her books from the "Fancy Nancy" series (target audience is ages 4-8) and others of a similar reading level. She loved them. Even at that young age, she would "read" the books to her stuffed animals. She excels at memorization, so she would recite the books from memory. Now, she is 4-years-old, and she loves her books! We read two stories before nap & two at bedtime every day.

[Gifty Naa Akushia]

I have loved reading since my childhood days and it has really helped, I therefore would not hesitate to pass on this good virtue to my children.

[Buchacha21]

My parents started reading to me as an infant. Much of our family time revolved around reading, either in the evenings around the table with a mug of tea or around the fire when we were camping. I fully intend to do the same with my children - make it an enjoyable experience anywhere we go.

[Ubheeram Nina]

I have two sons and the elder one is three years. He loves learning and will try to make them read also.

[Brandi Noelle]

My parents started reading to me as an infant. Much of our family time revolved around reading, either in the evenings around the table with a mug of tea or around the fire when we were camping. I fully intend to do the same with my children - make it an enjoyable experience anywhere we go.

I love the idea that you had family reading time! I think I need to start implementing that, fantastic! Thank you, Buchaca21!