Do you have a child who is relentlessly on the go? Who refuses to slow down long enough to sit and read with you? Who seems to think books are to be used as stepping stones? No problem! I know it’s been hard on you and you’ve tried so many things. But giving up is not an option. It is absolutely necessary that we read to our children daily. This one act can determine your child’s entire future, and I want to help you make it as bright as possible. 

 In my experience, finding those few moments throughout the day where he is confined to a particular space is key. That way you don’t have to go chasing after him and waste your energy. It’s okay if he is occupied with something else. The point is simply for him to be able to hear you reading. The artwork in picture books is often lovely, amusing, and can deepen understanding of the story, but isn’t absolutely necessary for your child to achieve literacy. Reading, however, very much is.

Pottytime

While your child is on the pot waiting for the magic to happen, sit down next to him. Help the time go by with a great book. Chances are he’ll be more likely to stay on the potty. And the distraction from reading might take the pressure off and help move things along. If you can stand the stench, the reward will be doubly worth it! (In with the good, out with the bad, as they say.)

Mealtime

Another great time to read to your busy little one is while he is sitting in his highchair. It is helpful if he is able to feed himself. If not, you might need someone else to do the feeding so you can do the reading. That way both body and mind are nourished simultaneously. If you’re on your own, you might need to get creative!

In the Car

When you’re stuck in the school pick-up line, you likely have your young child with you. Even better, he is strapped in his carseat. He is not going anywhere! So pull out your bag of books and put on a lively show. (If you have other pressing tasks you need to address, make sure you at least have a dynamic book on tape for your child.) The time will fly by for you both. And you will have spent it the best way possible. This also works when waiting for sports or band practice to finish up, when stuck in traffic, or waiting to pick up your take out order.

In the Playpen

With your child conveniently corralled inside a playpen, I’m sure you have a million things you need or want to do. That’s to be expected. But please take a few minutes first to read to your child. Make it your number one priority, especially if this is the only way your child allows you to read to him. That small investment of time will pay off in spades.

If all else fails, pick any time your child is busy playing with his favorite toys. He will be focused on what he’s doing, but the sound of your reading aloud will still enter his adorable little ears. And if he’s truly not interested in what you’re reading, use that to your favor! Pick the latest novel you’ve been wanting to read and go for it. Hearing the rich descriptive language, the back-and-forth dialogue, and the inflection in your voice will certainly do the trick.

What else have you found to be effective when reading with your busy child?

Some children just don’t connect with reading the way others do. They’re not interested in it for school, for fun, or for any other reason. They might claim it is too boring or too hard. If this describes your child, I’d like to offer a few ideas for you to try. These recommendations are centered around the idea that each one of us is living our own life’s story. So if your child isn’t interested in reading other people’s stories, why not read them their own? 

Read Their Birth Story

Reading a story that is all about your child should pique their interest. They will likely hang on your every word and then ask for more! Although your child was present at this momentous occasion, they did not have the words to describe it. That wonderful, blessed job falls to you. 

A birth story can include some experiences during your pregnancy, the plan/expectations of how you thought things would go at their birth, how they actually went, yours and your partner’s inward emotions and outward movements when your infant came into this world, comments made by the doctors and nurses, and details that struck you. Click here for more steps and suggestions on how to write your child’s unique birth story if you don’t already have one done.

If your child is adopted, read to them about the time you first met them and brought them home. For older children, consider writing a fictional story about what it would’ve been like to have them from birth. How would you have felt? What things would you have said and done? These can be powerful ways to build a deeper connection with your child and can sometimes bring healing.

Read from Your Own Journal

I have been the most consistent with my journal writing since purchasing a five-year-journal. It contains 365 pages, one dedicated to each day of the year. A page has enough room for five entries, so you can look back on what happened that same day over many years. Most nights, after I read a bedtime story to my two youngest kids, my husband takes a turn reading and I write in my journal. 

Once I started filling in the entries for the second year, I would sometimes comment on something that happened that day the year prior. Then one of the girls began a habit of asking, “Mom, what happened a year ago today?” This has evolved into a fun nightly routine where we read one or two entries from my journal. The kids love it when their name is read or something funny or special happened that day. I find that this simple act contributes to their own life story by renewing their memories of past events, helping them recognize the important role they play in our family, giving them a better sense of the passing of time, and instilling in them a desire to keep a journal when they are capable of doing so.

If you don’t keep a journal, it might be time to start! You won’t have entries for last year, but in just 30 days, you could be reading last month’s entries to your child. For those who don’t care to keep a journal of their own, that’s completely fine. But please do consider helping your child write one for themselves. And if you can’t get them to read any other books, at least they will have their journal they can keep coming back to through the years.

Read about Their Ancestors

Children’s book author Julius Lester wrote about a concept I absolutely love. He said, “Our lives incorporate more than our physical existence and personal memories. Generations abide within us” (56). We know that to be true based on how DNA works. But beyond the science of genes, each of us becomes who we are mentally and emotionally because of what our ancestors experienced and endured. What a remarkable gift to give our children: a more complete understanding of who they are and why. 

This can be as simple as reading obituaries and old letters between family members. In addition, finding your ancestors and reading about their lives has never been easier, thanks to the websites listed below. Make this a project with your child. Write your own mystery! Try to solve the puzzle about how your family history has shaped the both of you. After all, “Each of us is comprised of stories, stories not only about ourselves but stories about ancestors we never knew and people we’ve never met” (Lester, 73). Now you can go find those stories AND continue writing your own.

Placing your child at the heart of your reading might be just the impetus they need. Be prepared for more frequent requests to read together. And don’t be surprised if you both benefit in other ways, as well!

Lester, Julius. On Writing for Children & Other People. Dial Books, 2004.