I am constantly reading more than one book. Generally, my reading list includes something to feed the varied interests of my eclectic life – something on finance or economics, maybe some non-fiction biography or history, possibly some science fiction, and usually something that fits the broad category of agriculture, gardening, farming, or homesteading. That was one of the driving reasons that I bought a Kindle; it was much more convenient to keep my broad reading list together at one time. Not that all I read is ebooks. I still maintain a stack of real books, too.
My children have a similar love of reading. My oldest is generally hauling a stack of books home with each trip to the library. And when those are finished, they are asking for more.
A friend of mine recently asked how do you instill a love of reading in your children? What is the secret?
I would certainly admit that some of it is natural instinct. But I don’t believe that accounts for 100% of the process. First, I lead this family by example. The children often see me with a book in hand. How can I expect them to read and love reading if they don’t see me doing it.
At an early age, we read to them. We started with the usual list that would include Dr. Suess. But even when they could read for themselves, we continued to read as a family; especially in winter when the sun sets early and it is just too bitter cold to go outside. Instead of turning on the television, we would gather ’round and have family reading time.
Avoiding the television can be easier than it sounds, but it takes commitment. It also takes setting an example. For us, we don’t waste our money on fancy digital cable. Sure, there are features and channels I’d like to have, but at what cost. We do have basic cable, and even that is probably more than necessary. We also do not have video games. This helps create an environment that encourages reading because we have eliminated distracting (and what we would consider detrimental) alternatives.
So if you want to foster a love of reading in your children, set an example by reading a lot yourself, spend time as a family reading aloud (it isn’t just for the wee ones), and turn off the TV. You’ll be surprised at how well this can work.