How do you get a child to like read? (continued)?

Question

This is an continuation to the above question. Thanks for all the responses! The child is 10yrs. old and just this pass year began to dislike reading. When he was younger he enjoyed reading and was reading every chance he had. My husband and I do go to the bookstores and allow him to pick out the books that interest him. He will read to his babysister but when it comes to reading for school purposes (assignments) he takes a strong dislike, even though he selected the book of choice. So that is what I mean by how do I get him back into reading as a like not a dislike.

Answer 1

My twin brothers are 11, they read all the time, and now they won't pick up a book unless their forced due to homework. My mom started purchasing comic books, and magazines that would interest them. Find out what there new interest are; sports, super hero's, cars, whatever it is and purchase books or magazines in relation to those topics. Leave it on there bed. I guarantee if it's something they like they will read about it. Also subscribe him to a magazine for kids. Like Sports Illustrated For Kids or National Geographic Kids. Getting that magazine every month in the mail will make him feel more grown up, important. There's a site below where my mom subscribes for my brothers:
http://www.magazines.com/ncom/mag?subject=7&id=3653339590516
All kids at that age begin to dislike any homework assignment. There's not much changing that. Sit with him during his reading assignments and turn it into something fun the two of you can do together. Maybe have him act out what he just read. Anything thats more hands on and engaging would, should keep him interested. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Have you talked to the teacher? Are there kids at school teasing him about his reading or what he reads? There is usually something going on. Ask him if he is having trouble with the teacher. My son (now 18 and a senior in high school) lost interest in reading at age 9. We finally found out the teacher was making fun of his speech. (it was a dental problem) He is just now liking the reading assignments at school. His grades have suffered for all these years because of that. If we would have investigated sooner, we might have been able to do something and stop this. Good Luck. Make sure he knows you just want to help him in any way you can. Be supportive of him. If that doesn't work, try manditory reading time with the family. Everyone sits down with a book and reads for a set time and then writes a brief bit about what they read. (Mom, Dad, and siblings included)

Answer 3

Try to make him like SCHOOL

easier said than done,

I would say that if you reward him with tons of praise and don't police him to complete his assignments, then things will turn around.

Personally i think it doesn't matter if he LIKES it at this stage

just that he does it.

10 years old is the first stirrings of puberty and trust me it is not fun times.

Hormones go crazy so I would bet he isn't actually hating the reading , just that he feels forced to do it, and would rather do something else.

Heck can you blame him, everyone tells them what to do, and they are overwhelmed with home work.

the last thing he wants do do is waste his free time reading a book for a homework assignment.

Thats like saying how can house cleaning be FUN

A job is a job, work is work and fun is fun.

so i would make sure to tell everyone that walks through the door how fabulous your child is, oh and he reads so well

you never have to tell him to do this , he always takes the inniative

kinda like pumping him up for a fight. pysch him out a little.

And when i say everyone, I mean everyone , even the lady at the check out counter,

Kinda spaztacle but they like it and laugh at you and actually try to become the thing you say they are.

its gonna take a couple of weeks, to a month, but it does work.

Good Luck.

Answer 4

find what he likes to do and then let him read about it don't force the issue reading should be fun not work.i used to hate reading then i found this book "Twilight" this is a vampire love story. I love myth and fairytales and reading about an unknown species is entertaing. but seriously try to find what HE enjoys. and again don't force it. try dr.suess or the book stellaluna( a story about a bat getting lost from his mother) a child always love an advanture filled book with not to big of a plot something easy to understand

Answer 5

Maybe he is having trouble with the pressure of reading under a deadline to finish things for school assignments?

Does he still show an interest in reading things that aren't school related?

Answer 6

Not many kids like to read if they have to. Strong dislike or not, he knows that if he does not do the assignment, he will fail and then he will pay the consequences. You can't make him NOT dislike it..just like you can't make someone like broccoli.

Answer 7

Dont make him read. Dont make it an issue. He'll come back to it.
At this age in school teachers make them read for assignments and in the class and things like that. Bookit destroyed my desire to read for a good many years.

But now I write short stories, poems and books, and own a library of books of all types and sorts.

He'll come back to it. The foundation was already laid.

leave him alone.

Answer 8

I hate to say it, but if it's an assignment he's going to have to do it. But that's the way it goes. When he grows up he'll have to do all kinds of things he doesn't want to do, this is just practice. He has to do it, have him do it. Maybe reward him when he finishes it.

Answer 9

Well, if you really want to make him like reading I would suggest taking him out of school and homeschool him. It's school that makes kids hate to read. The longer he is in school the more he may dislike it until he doesn't like reading at all.

Answer 10

You could ask his teacher(s) for assistance in this area....I'm sure they would have some good ideas for getting your son to enjoy reading again.
Good Luck