6 Things to Avoid: Helping Your Child Love Books

 

Helping Your Child Love Books: 6 Things to Avoid

Being a parent is a big job. You want your child to succeed, and one of the best ways to do that is to help them become a great reader. Reading helps with school, but it also opens up new worlds. However, sometimes the things we do to help can actually backfire.

I did some research using expert sources to find out what might be slowing kids down. It turns out that even with the best intentions, we can accidentally make reading feel like a struggle. Here are the six biggest things parents do that can hinder a child’s reading—and how you can fix them!

1. Making Reading Feel Like a Chore

We’ve all been there: "No video games until you read for 20 minutes!" It seems like a good deal, right? But experts say that when we use reading as a "requirement" for fun stuff, kids start to think of reading as "work."

If reading is a chore, they won't want to do it for fun. Instead of making it a rule, try making it a choice. Leave cool books around the house or have a "family reading hour" where everyone grabs a snack and a book. When reading is the reward itself, kids are much more likely to stick with it.

2. Stopping Read-Alouds Too Soon

Many parents stop reading to their kids as soon as the child can read on their own. This is actually a big mistake! Even if your child can read a chapter book, they still benefit from hearing you read.

When you read aloud, you can choose books that are a bit harder than what they can read alone. This helps them learn bigger words and follow more complex stories. Plus, it’s a great way to bond. It shows them that stories are meant to be shared and enjoyed together, not just finished for a grade.

3. Being the "Grammar Police"

It is hard to sit quietly when your child says "house" instead of "horse." Your first instinct is to jump in and correct them right away. However, stopping them for every tiny mistake can hurt their confidence. It breaks the "flow" of the story.

Research suggests that if a child is getting most of the words right, let them keep going. If they get stuck on a big word, encourage them to "sound it out" instead of just guessing from the pictures. Decoding the letters is how they actually learn to read, but they need to feel safe making a few mistakes along the way.

4. Forgetting to Model Reading

Kids are like little mirrors; they reflect what they see us doing. If your child never sees you pick up a book, they might think reading is just something "for kids" or "for school."

You don’t have to read a giant novel every day. Even reading the news, a cookbook, or a magazine counts! When your child sees you enjoying a book, they learn that reading is a lifelong habit. It shows them that books are valuable tools for adults, too.

5. Judging Their Book Choices

Sometimes parents get worried if their child only wants to read comic books, graphic novels, or "easy" books they’ve already read ten times. You might want them to pick up a "classic" or something more challenging.

But here is the secret: All reading is good reading. Graphic novels still require kids to follow a plot and learn new words. Re-reading old favorites helps them build "fluency," which means they can read faster and with more feeling. Let them pick what they love. If they are excited about the book, they will keep turning the pages!

6. Forcing Books That Are Way Too Hard

We all want our kids to be "advanced," but giving a child a book that is too hard can lead to a total shutdown. Experts use a "95% rule." This means a child should be able to read about 95% of the words on a page without help.

If they are struggling with more than five words out of every hundred, the book is probably too frustrating. When a book is too hard, they spend all their energy trying to say the words and no energy understanding the story. To help them grow, find "just right" books that are challenging but still fun.

The Bottom Line

Helping a child read isn't about being perfect. It’s about creating a home where books are fun, not stressful. By avoiding these six habits, you can take the pressure off and let your child discover the magic of a great story. Happy reading!