4 Ways to Respond When Your Child Says, "I hate reading!"
We have all heard our kids say it, those three dreaded words
“I hate reading!”
These words are especially dreaded if we loved reading as a child.
They are even more disheartening if we are helping with homework that involves reading.
So what do you say as the parent to help ameliorate the lack of enthusiasm your child may be feeling about reading?
“Come on, reading is fun!”
NOPE. Not going to cut it. You’re going to have to be more creative than that.
4 ways to respond when your child says “I hate reading!”
What would you rather do right now?
Instead of forcing your kiddo to sit and read, ask them if they would rather do one chore and come back to what they were reading. When kids have agency over when and what they are reading, they are more inclined to like reading. You might even invite them to go play something. “Let’s do something else and then get back to it.”
I’ll read to you.
When kids are learning how to read, their listening comprehension is higher than their reading comprehension. Often times, listening for enjoyment can spark an interest in reading again. Of course, you don’t want it to always be this way, but there’s nothing wrong with reading to them for a bit.
When reading gets hard, your brain is growing!
Often times when kids say they don’t like reading, they are masking the true issue. Perhaps they don’t feel like they are good at it. They may have heard a peer reading with their teacher and fall into the comparison trap. Helping your child cultivating a growth mindset by sharing something that is difficult for you is a great way to make a connection with them and be vulnerable.
Let’s go to the library.
I am a big believer in interest trumping ability. If your child is showing interest in books that are higher level, this is a great time to talk about listening for enjoyment. A good example of a book that might be too difficult to read in the primary grades is Harry Potter. Encourage your child to check it out anyway and have this as a family read aloud. The illustrated editions are particularly great for family read aloud. Finding books of interest in your child’s reading ability range will also help them build confidence.
So there you have it. 4 ways to positively respond to your child when they are frustrated with reading.
Remember that kids watch everything we do. Modeling reading is one of the best ways to convey how important and enjoyable reading can be! My dad always said “Readers are leaders.” As an adult, I find myself saying that too.
If you are looking for ways to make reading more fun, check out my Let’s Read Together Calendar. It’s 12 months full of actionable steps to make reading more fun.
What do you say to your children when they are frustrated with reading? I’d love to hear what works at home.