Despite the wide selection of works of various genres and their availability, it is less and less common to find a person reading in transport, parks and other public places. More and more people (not only children) prefer to spend time in front of TV screens or in their smartphones. With the beginning of a child's education at school, many parents are faced with the fact that their children do not like and do not want to read. Therefore, many people have a question: how to make a child fall in love with books?
Everything is fine in the phrase “make you love”. It was as if everyone was forced to love the sea, ice cream or chocolate. Why don't kids like to read? Because it's hard work for them. It is necessary not only to put letters into words, and words into sentences, but also to understand the meaning, draw an image in your own head. It is difficult for a person, including a child, who is used to seeing ready-made images on the screen, to create something of his own in his head. And if it is customary in the family to spend leisure time watching TV or burying their eyes in a smartphone, then one should not expect a child to love reading. And the phrase "to make you fall in love" is better to forget once and for all.
Is there any point in making the child read
Many experienced parents can easily give hundreds of advice to beginners in this business, from the series "… until you read and tell A, you will not get B." Is it possible in this way to develop a child's interest in reading? Not! This will have the opposite effect. Firstly, under the threat of receiving a whip or not receiving a carrot, the child will read and retell it, but will not receive any sincere response. He will not be imbued with sympathy or antipathy for the heroes, will not try to put himself in their place, will not assimilate the message of the work. That is, there is more harm than good from reading "out of hand".
How to develop your child's interest in reading
If we analyze the work of various psychologists and teachers on this topic, it will become clear that there is no need to force a child to read. But you can get him carried away by reading. Here are some tips to help you do this:
1. To love to read books by ourselves. Forcing a child to read a book when you yourself watch TV all day is stupid. You always need to start with yourself, since children are taught not by the words of their parents, but by their actions. If a child does not see how his parents enjoy reading, then he himself will not become a book lover. At the same time, it is important for adults not only to read, but also to discuss what they have read with each other and with children.
2. Read aloud. Many parents read fairy tales to young children before bedtime. But when they reach the age where they can fall asleep on their own, reading aloud usually stops. Therefore, it is recommended that you either continue to do this or arrange for family readings. For example, dad can read a fairy tale aloud to mom, and the child is just nearby. If the fairy tale interests him, he will listen, and then, perhaps, take part in its discussion. This method is also good in that it will allow you to understand the taste of the child.
3. Create a book about a child. Children are curious to know what adults think of them. And a book about a child can not only satisfy curiosity, but also attract a child to reading. For example, you can take a picture of a child in the course of any activity, describe what is happening, print it and hang it in a prominent place. This will be one of the pages in the book. Gradually, you can involve your child in writing a book about yourself. By studying writing, the child will learn and read.
4. Draw illustrations. If the child is still young, then drawing illustrations for the books he has read is a great activity. It not only provides an opportunity to discuss with the child what he liked and remembered the most, but also to attract additional attention and love for books.
5. Start easy and fun. Knowing about the preferences of the child, it is worth offering books that will be of interest to him. Let it be adventure, fantasy, or animal stories. Even a book based on a favorite cartoon can make a child want to read it. 6. Do not worry if the child does not read the books included in the summer bibliography. You can safely delete from the list those works that will not interest the child. Reading is a responsibility and not a job, but a process that is enjoyable. Often, teachers will add works suitable for older children to their summer literature list. So in the list for the second grader you can find "The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" or "The Hobbit". These works are held in the 5th grade, then the child will be ready to familiarize himself with them.
It is important to always remember that if parents want to captivate a child with reading, then they can only talk about him in the context of pleasure and pleasant leisure. Love for books does not appear on its own, it needs to be formed gradually.
