How to get a kid interested in reading

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. ^^^^^ Thank you PP. My kid is capable of reading much more complex stuff, he just isnt interested. I'm happy to hear it may come later for some. He reads graphic novels exclusively.

I think this may be more of a "me" issue than a "him" issue. His grades are very good, though, he prefers math to everything else

This is definitely a you issue. I was a total bookworm and my boys wanted none of it. They would only read stuff like Wimpy Kid and comics.
Last night I put my 5th grader to bed and he's reading the Narnia series of his own accord! I know DCUM would say "my first grader read those" but I'm thrilled.

He’s right in the appropriate age range for those books. Ignore braggers and exaggerators.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks.

To answer some of the questions asked along the way, yes my DS gets plenty of exercise. He plays baseball, DCSC Select soccer, will be starting flag football in a few weeks and we ski most weekends locally and take 2 trips out West per year. On the weekends when he doesn't have games, he is out in the neighborhood riding his bike with friends, playing some ball-based game with his friends on the field at his school or playing at our house with friends or at one of his friend's houses.

He sees me reading all the time. I'm a bookworm. He sees my husband reading the paper or doing the NYT puzzles. Sometimes my DS plays too with Spelling Bee or Pips.

He reads just fine. When I've heard him read aloud, there are little to no mistakes, no hesitation, very little sounding out words and he comprehends everything. He just seems to have a block, fear or something else when it comes to moving from graphic novels to books without the illustrations.

The more I read your responses, the more I think this is more of a "me" issue and that he will be fine. I just want him to find joy in reading like I did when I was a child. Then again, I was the kid that my parents needed to push outside to play. My kid would rather be outside playing with his friends than doing anything else. He is active and social.

[Anonymous]

Given how busy you are I would do the right before bed reading. I am the pp with second grade girl who also reads fine for her grade (but I’m surrounded by people talking about how much their kids read + I read a lot as a kid - cue the worry). I would also allow him to read what he wants at this time but maybe introduce stories in chapter books by talking about them, checking out library etc.

If your kid can read grade level just get into making it a habit. I’ve just started this with my kid and even in a week she’s gone from reading for 5 min to 30 last night because she “wasn’t tired”. And yes I have been reading a book at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks.

To answer some of the questions asked along the way, yes my DS gets plenty of exercise. He plays baseball, DCSC Select soccer, will be starting flag football in a few weeks and we ski most weekends locally and take 2 trips out West per year. On the weekends when he doesn't have games, he is out in the neighborhood riding his bike with friends, playing some ball-based game with his friends on the field at his school or playing at our house with friends or at one of his friend's houses.

He sees me reading all the time. I'm a bookworm. He sees my husband reading the paper or doing the NYT puzzles. Sometimes my DS plays too with Spelling Bee or Pips.

He reads just fine. When I've heard him read aloud, there are little to no mistakes, no hesitation, very little sounding out words and he comprehends everything. He just seems to have a block, fear or something else when it comes to moving from graphic novels to books without the illustrations.

The more I read your responses, the more I think this is more of a "me" issue and that he will be fine. I just want him to find joy in reading like I did when I was a child. Then again, I was the kid that my parents needed to push outside to play. My kid would rather be outside playing with his friends than doing anything else. He is active and social.

You are neurotic