Anonymous wrote:Op here. I can't tell if my son lied or not when he told me that he is done reading a book in that short time. We have a lot of books at home, but he is not a book lover. I make him to read sometimes to avoid too much screen time. I like magoc tree house series, are there any book series similar to that?
Time Warp Trio is probably the closest. If he isn’t enjoying the books though, you might want to try other types of books. What are his interests?
Personally, I think reading should only be mandated when it serves a purpose (learning HOW to read, reading specific material for a class, reading a book and writing a report, etc.). If you think he’s reading a Magic Treehouse book in 30 minutes, he apparently knows how to read and the only reason you’re having him read is to keep him from doing what he wants to be doing. I think when kids are required to do a daily reading session, it turns an intrinsically enjoyable activity into a chore. This, however, is turning it into an obstacle. You may be limiting his screen time, but you’re also fostering an antipathy towards books.
While I don’t have a problem with screen time, I respect that many parents do. If you want to limit screen time, just do it. Let him choose an alternative activity, with reading being an option he might want to choose. If he’s playing outside, hanging out with friends, doing crafts, etc., those are good things too. Let him find a balance, and hopefully he’ll choose books.
In the meantime, keep reading fun. Read to him. Read to yourself around him for fun. Share articles, jokes, etc., with him that you read that you find particularly interesting or enjoyable. Give him a wide selection. Reading isn’t always about novels. Try magazines, Choose Your Own Adventure books, comics/graphic novels (careful- they’re not all suitable for kids), joke books (brace yourself for Knock-Knocks), books like Guiness Book of World Records or Ripley’s Believe-It-or-Not. Even books like the I-Spy books are great. You need to help him see how great books really are. [i]