How to raise kids who read

[sdifox]

What? Like they weren't boys BEFORE the 1992 video game console wars? By your reasoning, boys would have always been behind girls.

go slower...you wouldn't want to overwhelm his reading threshold.

 

[darkxshade]

Meh, guilty as charged... I have a short attention span and hate to read books... I look at a book and the thickness just turns me off to it. I have absolutely no problems reading magazines or newspapers and often find myself spending hours at a time just clicking from link to link reading wiki articles.

 

[highland145]

Meh, guilty as charged... I have a short attention span and hate to read books... I look at a book and the thickness just turns me off to it. I have absolutely no problems reading magazines or newspapers and often find myself spending hours at a time just clicking from link to link reading wiki articles.

Hunter/gatherer vs whatever women are called.

 

[darkxshade]

Ya know what's funny? I've probably read more threads and replies in ATOT than all the books in my life combined. I just thought of a great idea... we need a book subforum where someone would start a thread and just post one paragraph per post of any book. I'm pretty sure I'd go through several books a week that way.

 

[Ryland]

My 12yrold has no common sense either but reads everything he can get his hands on. It would be nice if I could find a series of books from which he could obtain commonsense but I still haven't found one.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

My 12yrold has no common sense either but reads everything he can get his hands on. It would be nice if I could find a series of books from which he could obtain commonsense but I still haven't found one.

Have him read ATOT, where everyone thinks they've cornered the market on common sense. :sneaky:

 

[darkxshade]

Have him read ATOT, where everyone thinks they've cornered the market on common sense. :sneaky:

I'd be careful not to stumble into P&N though lest you want to lose it

 

[Barfo]

I read quite a bit growing up, and enjoyed every book I read (for the most part). As I aged, however, I became more entertained with instant feedback from the computer and video games. My attention level is worse now as well.

Same here, I couldn't stop reading when I was young. The internet and videogames ruined my attention span brb

 

[destrekor]

Because I happen to be smarter than almost everyone on this board I happen to prove that stupidity as fact?

Maybe I just don't like act like an obedient slave?

Keep telling yourself that.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Same here, I couldn't stop reading when I was young. The internet and videogames ruined my attention span brb

ditto

 

[Barfo]

Ya know what's funny? I've probably read more threads and replies in ATOT than all the books in my life combined. I just thought of a great idea... we need a book subforum where someone would start a thread and just post one paragraph per post of any book. I'm pretty sure I'd go through several books a week that way.

Everyone would be tl;dr

 

[destrekor]

Everyone would be tl;dr

Hell, might as well make it the destrekor forum.
:biggrin:

 

[fulltilt39]

my 10 yr old daughter will read - as long as it's about Justin Bieber ROFL

 

[schneiderguy]

I spend many hours a day reading.

ATOT counts as reading, right?

 

[nanette1985]

I remember growing up back in the 50's it was that great Satan TELEVISION that destroyed reading. Now it's those kids grown up who are bitching that the current generation is too hyped up on technology to read like we did.

My kids are grown up and they all read. The best way to get them to read as kids was to order them not to. NO, not that trash! NO, no reading until your homework is done! NO, I won't buy you those books about your fantasy game, you'll have to use your own money! Put that book away and talk to grandma!

 

[rh71]

Ya know what's funny? I've probably read more threads and replies in ATOT than all the books in my life combined.

Same... easily. I've actually never finished a single book as far as I know. In HS I wrote book reports the cheater's way. When I had to re-do one and the teacher gave me extra attention & extended time to do so, I still "cheated". Books interest me in no way whatsoever. Reading novels vs. watching it unfold on tv, etc... easy choice. My vocabulary isn't the greatest but I never felt it needed to be. Those who speak well would be complimented here and there but is there anything tangible they gain from it? I'd argue for a "sufficient" level and you're fine.

EDIT>> I'll add that I've actually bought books to read - I just never finished them... simply couldn't / didn't want to.

 

[pontifex]

Your reading comprehension shows as well. I'm glad you can tell by that sentence that I am really not interested in reading boring drivel by some snob in Massachusetts.

So you read 1 book and think all books are dreadfully boring? wtf is wrong with you? no wonder you fail so hard at life.

I'm an avid reader and I'll agree that some books are horrible and boring (mostly when you're forced to read something instead of having a choice), but there are lots of good and interesting and exciting books out there.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

So you read 1 book and think all books are dreadfully boring? wtf is wrong with you? no wonder you fail so hard at life.

Why are you even wasting your energy on TrollenT?

 

[ShawnD1]

The secret to raising boys who read, I submit, is pretty simple—keep electronic media, especially video games and recreational Internet, under control (that is to say, almost completely absent). Then fill your shelves with good books.

LOL
That's the worst advice ever.

If you want your kids to learn proper English, give them some NES games to play.

We make all our kids read for half an hour before bed. A good time to get them wound down, as well as literate. My kids can read, that's for sure. My oldest will digest a novel in the span of a couple nights. He'll burn through a Harry Potter book in maybe 3 days tops. But man oh man... what I'd give for them to have a bit more common sense. I'd happily settle for a kid that doesn't know how a black hole works for one that wouldn't give me grief about taking a shower or picking up their dirty clothes and putting them in the hamper despite being reminded several times to do so.

Lesson from my parents: only wash things that are in the hamper. If they run out of clothes and need to wear the same dirty shit 3 days in a row and the kids make fun of them for being poor, that's a good thing. They'll learn.

 

[PrinceofWands]

My daughter is 15, and I only have her a couple months a year. Still I've been able to turn her into a voracious reader. Not just for recreaction, but academically as well. While the rest of her class is reading wiki's and middle school books on historic figures for their reports, she's tackling peer-reviewed journals and college level biographies (even going so far as to look into the bibliography and get primary sources). Books are generally the only (or one of a couple) things on her wish lists and present lists.

If I had to assess why I'd say it has three sources:

1) I read to her ALL the time growing up
2) I, and those I associate with, supply constant positive reinforcement for reading
3) I do my best not to ever provide her answers, only guide her to finding them herself (which requires reading)

I don't severely limit digital entertainment (though we don't focus much on tv here), and in fact she's quite the budding gamer chick. It hasn't seemed to diminish her love for, or ability in, reading.

 

[ShawnD1]

My daughter is 15, and I only have her a couple months a year. Still I've been able to turn her into a voracious reader. Not just for recreaction, but academically as well. While the rest of her class is reading wiki's and middle school books on historic figures for their reports, she's tackling peer-reviewed journals and college level biographies (even going so far as to look into the bibliography and get primary sources). Books are generally the only (or one of a couple) things on her wish lists and present lists.

haha what a sucker. Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Way better than peer reviewed journal articles (mainly because wikipedia is free whereas journals cost money). Those bastards always give the abstract for free then they want money before they give you the whole thing. I also wish more people would read the wiki articles about... basically anything. A heck of a lot of people don't seem to remember what caused World War 1. Even more people don't realize how much of Europe changed because of it.

I don't severely limit digital entertainment (though we don't focus much on tv here), and in fact she's quite the budding gamer chick. It hasn't seemed to diminish her love for, or ability in, reading.

Good boy. Anyone trying to limit their gaming might be crippling their brain development. Which is more of a mental challenge: winning a round of Call of Duty against other humans or having unprotected sex with the neighbor girl because your parents won't let you play Call of Duty?

 

[lxskllr]

I tried for years to get my daughter to read, but she only started getting into it last year when she turned 11. I turned her on to Stephen King, and that got her into reading, and it led to other authors. I wouldn't call her a voracious reader, but she takes a genuine interest now.

 

[TecHNooB]

reading is useless if you don't crush the corresponding sections on standardized exams

*zips up flame suit*

 

[BoomerD]

I've always been a prolific reader. I actually read for enjoyment...and think it's MUCH better than the television.
I read to both my kids when they were little. As they got older, I made them read to me...and kept choosing harder and harder books for them to read. As a result, both kids are excellent readers, but my son reads much more than my daughter. Maybe it's availability of preferred reading material...I dunno.

When my grandkids lived with us, I also read to them nightly and was teaching them to read to me. The oldest, (now in 6th grade) is a pretty good reader...and reads some of my college textbooks (with reasonable understanding) when he comes to visit.

 

[endervalentine]

A lot of people are saying, the way to get them to read is to read to them often, but that's hard!! Even I rather play legos, cars and wrestle with him before bed