I’m very proud to be getting behind Booktrust‘s campaign to read every day. This is the first in a small series of posts to chat a bit more about it.
Following Booktrust’s report on two nations: the reading divide, a nation divided into page-turners or button-pushers, I gave a short radio interview about getting children reading; you can listen to it again here – Booktrust speak at about 12 minutes in, me at 1.03.
So now we know – readers are happier people!
And we know that to nurture a lifelong love of reading you’ve got to grab ’em when they’re young. Reading aloud to children, from tiny tots to children way WAY past the hurdle of being able to read independently, is the solid gold key to everything. The gift of time spent cosily together, reading, chatting, sharing; to hell with hoovering, emails can wait… this is the richest of mulches put into these little plant pots.
And how turned-off, reluctant readers will fall in love with stories and want to start reading to themselves.
I’ve been thinking a lot about strategies that work, and those that don’t.
I’m troubled by the idea of making books into a chore, something that is ‘good for you’ but dreary, requiring a treat as a reward. Read for twenty minutes, then you can play on your game for an hour: eat up your greens, then you can have cake. Or, even worse, ‘TURN THAT TV OFF AND GO AND READ A BOOK.’ As the very words leave our mouths how badly we shoot ourselves in the foot, what negative messages we are giving! Reading IS cake!
I prefer to see books and screen-time completely separated and unassociated. Don’t let it show that one is considered virtuous, the other just low-brow tat.
But, BUT… realistically, there are moments when we do need some leverage, and the lure of the screen seems sometimes to have a hold like crack cocaine.
How do you combine square-eyed fun with reading in your family, what works for you?
(ps now I have photographed my props it’s the doughnut I’ve got my eye on…
some broccoli, anyone?)
Luckily we haven’t yet got to the stage where reading is a chore. We have stories as soon as we wake, over breakfast, sitting on the sofa, out in the cafe, in the car & always at bedtime. Screentime is generally for evenings only & if out in a cafe ( that’s so I can choose & order some food in peace). I’m not sure we’ve got the right balance but seems ok at the moment
I don’t think in your home reading will EVER be a chore! I love your any time, any place approach – earlier in the day is very good for fresh concentration, isn’t it? And how sensible to have a moment’s calm when having a look at the menu!
Bagl is nearly 2 and we only started a bit of TV watching at Christmas, about 10-20 minutes a day, usually as we are making dinner (think a lot of parents use the TV then!). He just watches a few programmes, generally ones we like, such as Sarah and Duck. But he still absolutely adores books and gets read to many times in the day (in addition to that he looks at them on his own). Computers we have to be careful with as taking him away has caused tantrums, so it’s only occasionally we have a look at a website together, such as a CBeebies or a favourite author. Looking at books just seems very natural to him.
Bagl is a lucky chap to have books and stories all around him. It does just go to show – to know them is to love them! And how wise to carefully select and control what’s on the screen – getting the best of what’s on offer, and keeping out the tat – which, surely, inculcates a discerning sense of taste at this crucial age.
Combine the two – watch Bookaboo! Great picture books, brilliant guest presenters (maybe more relevant to parents than children but, hey) and a little bit of sillyness from the greatest rock’n’roll drumming dog in the world. Series 1 in particular has some great modelling of ways to share picture books with children for parent’s who may be lacking in confidence.
I have never watched Bookaboo but I absolutely shall be looking out for it. Thanks again for the top tip!