How do we motivate our children to read ?

1. Think Outside the Book

Your goal is to get your child to think of reading as a useful, fun activity, not a chore.  If you have a comic-book lover, introduce him to graphic novels. Books that combine illustrations and text, often with sophisticated visuals and storylines motivates reading in children. Other ideas: Print out interesting articles from Web sites or share movie reviews — as long as it’s a sustained reading experience, it counts.

2. Get the Card

“Rediscover your local library,” If you haven’t been in a library recently yourself, you might be surprised: Today’s libraries are vibrant places. Many have special programs for children , offer lists of recommended books, and are staffed by specialists who are just as invested in getting a great book into your kid’s hands as you are. And remember, it’s totally appropriate for 9- to 12-year-olds to select their own reading material.

3. Create a Reading-Rich Home

“Choose a specific time — after dinner, on a Sunday morning, or before bed — when everyone in the family reads. “  If you don’t put reading on the schedule, it will get lost in the shuffle of your busy life. And reading should be for everyone, not just the kids. Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t have to be quiet time. “One sad fact is that once kids learn to read independently, parents usually stop reading to them,” Buck that trend by starting a family book night. Vote on a book (or rotate who gets to choose) , then take turns reading it aloud by paragraphs, pages, or chapters. Finally, make sure books, magazines, and newspapers are available throughout your house.

4. Write a Happy Ending

If your child reads four or five books on his school break , chances are when he returns to school he’ll be reading on grade level . If, as a family, you make reading an integral and valued part of your daily life, you’ll increase the chances of having an avid, passionate reader.

Good news for busy parents. You don’t need to be a biblical scholar  to teach your kids how to relate to God. These eight simple, practical ways to teach children about God were selected with  busy parents in mind. The practices are short and all have been 100 percent kid-tested and parent-approved.

JM just finished Grade 3 in our parish CCD program and the children are now on summer vacation, though the schedule of the program does not coincide with the schedule of the regular semester in the current school year.  The classes in this program use the Coming to Faith series of books K-6 published by William Sadlier.  The series helps children to explore their faith, develop morally and grow in religious understanding and practice.

During the CCD summer break, I continue with daily Catechism lessons at home and the resource materials in hand are St. Joseph picture books and Books of Saints by Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S.V.D. , superbly illustrated in full color and simply written for children to better understand the Catholic faith.  For Gospel readings, my son reads Gospel Stories for children, published by the Daughters of St. Paul. A  few months ago, I  introduced him to the books of the Bible , covering both the Old and the New Testament.

Once a month in our parish, religious and charitable organizations hold a sale of used goods ranging from clothes, shoes, toys, books and magazines, home accessories and many other useful items. I look forward to this monthly sale because it is a good time to shop for second hand children’s books at really bargain prices. The good news is that the books on sale are slightly used only. Aside from books, I love buying these huge jigsaw puzzles for my son and other educational stuff which are available on sale.