What are the common pitfalls or mistakes parents make in teaching a child to read?
We don’t intentionally discourage our children from reading. But sometimes we can make small yet frequent mistakes that deter our budding young readers over time.
Forcing a child to read is a common mistake, but there are plenty of other ways you can help encourage your little ones to read. Here are some common ways parents can discourage their child from reading, and what you can try to do instead.
1.There are few books in the home
I know books are a luxury for some families, but there are lots of places to find free and low-priced books. Don’t forget your local library has books you can borrow for free!
2. Getting Distracted by Modern Gadgets
With smartphones and tablets so widely available these days, it’s rather easy for parents to fall into the trap of looking and playing with their gadgets while attending to their young kids. Being constantly on a gadget wastes time and before you know it, you miss out on going through the daily reading lesson with your child.
3. Not reading yourself
I know we are all busy but if your children see you read, they will be more likely to copy. If they see us reading, they are more likely to aspire to that as young adults themselves.
4. Not letting them choose their own books
If your child is at school, chances are they have a set reading list, and there may not be very much you can do about it. So when it comes to reading books outside of school, it’s important to let your child choose the ones they really want.
5. Talking negatively about reading
I will never forget working on a TV show where in between filming, I would read to the children we were working with. I was reading with this boy who must have been 6 or 7 years old. The father came in the room and laughed at us, telling his son ‘what are you reading that rubbish for? It will never get you anywhere in life!’. Not only was I dumbfounded that a father could say this to their child but I was deeply saddened as I knew this boy wouldn’t have an easy educational journey in life! I whispered to him ‘never stop loving books!’ as the father walked away! And here lies the issue – some children who have parents that don’t value reading and books. Often it stems from their own experiences. We hope that our educational board games can be a bridge for these parents by practising reading in a fun game instead.
