Reading: Getting Kids Excited about Books

“Read all you can lay your hands on. The rewards of reading never diminish.”—Helen Ganz, literacy advocate

Reading is powerful. When kids know how to read and enjoy reading, they’re more likely to succeed in school—and in life. Unfortunately, only 22 percent of kids report having asset 25: reading for pleasure. The reading asset is the second least-common asset (behind asset 17: creative activities), yet reading is an asset that parents have a great deal of influence over helping their kids attain. To learn more about the power of reading, visit the National Institute for Literacy at www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/facts_overview.html

Try it...

For all parents

• Make sure each of your children has a library card (you can get cards at your local library branch). If your kids already have library cards, use them on a regular basis. Visit the library once a week, or at least once a month.
  
  
• Show kids how much you enjoy reading. Instead of watching TV, read periodically. Have books and magazines strategically located around your house.
  
  
• Talk about what you read. Ask your kids about what they’re reading.
  

For parents with children ages birth to 5

• Surround your children with picture books. Give them to your kids as gifts. If you can’t afford to buy them, check them out of the library.
  


• Read aloud to your children every day. If possible, read aloud more than once a day.
  
  
• Buy board books for your children (check out used bookstores for bargains). Keep the books with your children’s toys so that your kids are used to seeing books as part of their everyday lives.
  

For parents with children ages 6 - 9

• Keep reading aloud to your children, even as they begin to learn how to read for themselves. Once they start learning how to read, have them read aloud every day to you.
  
  
• Help kids find books that get them excited. Visit the library. Browse used bookstores.
  


• Read a book to your children before they go to bed. Use a book as part of your bedtime routine to help your children relax and connect with you.
  

For parents with children ages 10 - 15

• Encourage your kids to find books that excite them. Don’t overlook graphic novels, comic books, magazines, or other types of reading that may not interest you, but interests them. The point is to keep your kids reading.
  


• Teenagers are assigned books to read for language arts and English classes. Find out what they’re reading—and what they’re learning. Ask them which assigned book they liked best and why.
  
  
• Take turns reading an exciting book aloud. If your child loves Harry Potter or Stephenie Meyer’s vampire books, read a page or two out loud and then switch. Emphasize the fun of reading instead of stressing out how to pronounce certain words.
  
  
• Give books as gifts. Young teenagers often enjoy advice-about-life books such as It’s Our World, Too: Stories of Young People Who Are Making a Difference by Phillip Hoose or Growing Up Feeling Good by Ellen Rosenberg.
  


• Discuss what you’re reading on the Internet. Many teenagers do a lot of reading online. Their reading may not be in book format, but they’re learning all kinds of things from Wikipedia and other online services. Ask which topics interest them and why.
  

For parents with children ages 16 - 18

• Ask your teenager which book has had the most impact on his or her life. Talk about a life-changing book that you’ve read.
  
  
• Be patient if it seems your teenagers don’t read for fun. Many feel overloaded with homework reading and prefer to spend their free time with friends or listening to music.
  
  
• Follow books that become New York Times bestsellers at www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/index.html. Ask your teenager which books other teenagers are reading. See if there are any that interest your teenager. Choose a book yourself and talk about what you’ve read.
  
  
• Bring up current events or topics you’ve read about to start discussions with your teenagers. Reference what you’re reading, such as “I read in Newsweek today…” or “Did you see that article in the newspaper today?”
  
  

More Reading Ideas!

• For those of you with younger children, check out Playful Reading (© 2005 Search Institute) by Carolyn Munson-Benson. This book includes many positive, fun ways to build the bond between preschoolers, books, and you, and has lists of suggested titles that you and your children will enjoy.


• Great Preschools: Building Developmental Assets in Early Childhood (© 2007 Search Institute) by Tamara J. Will also suggests books for your preschooler. Ranging from well-known classics to the newest releases, these book lists are designed to fit your child’s interests and developmental level.

Out-of-School Time

“Out-of-school time is a golden opportunity to engage youth in their own development and in serving their communities. Far too frequently, we leave this time to chance.”—Minnesota Commission on Out-of-School Time

Kids can get a lot of benefit out of programs and activities in the community or in schools during “out-of-school time.” But all opportunities are not equal. You can leave less to chance and do a lot to ensure that your child gets the maximum benefit from such activities—whether for fun, learning, childcare, or all three—by starting with the tips that follow.

Try it...

For all parents

• Focus more on activities that help kids have fun, learn skills, and get to know other kids and adults than on activities that emphasize excelling. Consider reading Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Hirsch-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff (www.rodale.com).
  


• Never punish your child by scaling back or cutting out activities in order for them to do better academically. Kids need to work hard at school, and they also need high-quality activities to grow up well.
  
  
• Keep in mind that youth programs and opportunities often are part of larger programs at places like community centers, settlement houses, community learning centers, full-service schools, and museums and libraries.
  (Suggestions from Youth Community Connections: Minnesota Partners for Healthy Youth Development, www.youthcommunityconnections.org.)
  

For parents with children ages birth to 5

• Look for programs and activities that are fun for children. Programs that push children to excel can be harmful. The best programs for this age group are often ones that emphasize play.
  
  
• Make sure that childcare settings provide a warm, nurturing environment, with age-appropriate toys and equipment. If you have any concerns, talk with the director or supervisor. If you are looking for care, talk to other parents, guardians, and grandparents about where their young children go.
  


• Check out Head Start and Early Head Start. The mission of both these organizations is to support the healthy development of young children by providing services for education, socio-emotional development, physical and mental health, and nutrition for children in low-income families. You can find more information online at www.ehsnrc.org/.
  

For parents with children ages 6 - 9

• Through local parks and recreation centers or community education, look for low-pressure, low-cost options such as beginning art classes, dance lessons, clubs, music classes, and other opportunities for youth to try new skills, be with other children, and have some structured time away from home.
  
  
• Encourage your children to try both team activities (such as chess club or sports) and individual activities (such as music lessons, swimming, or art).
  
  
• As best you can, support your children’s involvement by volunteering to help out, attending special performances or sessions, and getting to know the other parents and adults leading the program or activity.
  

For parents with children ages 10 - 15

• Volunteer at your children’s school to lead or assist with a club or group such as chess, math, debate, DECA, Great Books, martial arts, Lego League, and so on. If your child doesn’t want your involvement, which can happen at this age, be involved behind the scenes, such as providing snacks for clubs or attending your child’s games (without cheering too loudly if your child finds that embarrassing).
  
  
• Make it easier for you and your child to be involved in out-of-school activities by coordinating transportation, snacks, supervision, and any other related tasks and commitments with other parents.
  
  
• It’s okay if your child wants to focus on one thing and work hard to excel at that. As long as your child is passionate about the activity, having one activity is just as okay as having a number of them.
  
  
• Present your kids with a variety of options for activities and help them think about which ones best fit their interests.
  

For parents with children ages 16 - 18

• Encourage your teenagers to look for and ask about new or emerging leadership roles in organizations they have been involved with in the past.
  


• If young people become tired of something they used to engage in, encourage them to talk with the adults and other older youth involved about adding new elements or challenges to the program. Help them develop a strategy for how to initiate these conversations.
  


• Keep talking with other parents about how their young people spend their time so you have a broad sense of what’s out there and available. At this age you can’t make the decision for your kids, but you can certainly help them filter through the options.

Dealing with Report Cards and Assessments

“We can only do the best we can with what we have. That, after all, is the measure of success.”—Marguerite de Angeli, author and illustrator

It happens two to four times a year: you receive a report card or assessment of your child’s progress in school. The way you respond has a big impact on how much your child feels motivated to do his or her best at school. Consider these ideas to keep your child’s motivation high.

Try it...

For all parents

• Even if you have an emotional reaction to a report card or assessment, calmly talk to your child about the report. Be careful not to allow your emotions to set off a negative response in your children, which can be detrimental to their enthusiasm about school. If you are shocked by your child’s report card, perhaps you are not talking enough with your child about what’s going on at school, what kind of homework your child has, upcoming projects, and tests to prepare for. Stay engaged every step of the way and talk about how important your child’s education is.
  


• Talk with your child soon after the report card arrives. First focus on where your child did well. Point out your child’s strengths. Then ask your child about the areas where he didn’t do as well. Use the time to gather information rather than to punish your child.
  
  
• Set goals together that will motivate your child. Choose goals that are easy, simple, and doable. For example, goals could include, “I will raise my hand to participate at least one more time a day” or “I will ask my teacher or dad for help when I don’t understand something.”
  
  
• Make sure both you and your child understand on what basis a teacher’s grades are awarded. Knowing the rules will help your child be more likely to get higher grades.
  
  
• If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), advocate for your child during every step of the process. For more information, visit Kids Together Inc. at http://www.kidstogether.org/IEP/IEPPlanning/IEPplanningreport.htm.
  
  

For parents with children ages birth to 5

• Preschool and child-care assessments tend to focus on the overall development of your child, which is critical to your child’s success. Instead of pushing your child to memorize the ABCs, help your child develop in all areas, such as getting along with others (social skills), learning to cut with scissors (fine-motor skills), and paging through picture books and making up stories (imagination skills).
  
  
• If your child care or preschool doesn’t offer assessments of children, ask the teacher for a meeting at least once a year (or two, if possible) to get information about how the teacher sees your child’s development, strengths, and weaknesses.
  
  
• Your child most likely will show talent and skill in one area over another. Continue to stimulate your child in those areas, but don’t neglect the areas where your child struggles. It’s just as important that children develop physical coordination as well as intellectual curiosity.
  
  

For parents with children ages 6 - 9

• Hopefully school report cards will focus as much on your child’s character, behavior, and social skills as well as academic skills. If not, ask if you can meet with the teacher to learn how your child is developing socially, intellectually, physically, and emotionally.
  
  
• Place as much stock in helping your child develop social and emotional skills as well as literacy, mathematics, and other academic skills. How well liked a child is at third grade “has shown to be a better predictor of mental-health problems at age 18 than anything else,” writes Daniel Goleman in Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ. Kids with strong social and emotional skills often have better academic skills.
  


• No matter what kind of marks your child receives on report-card day, make the day one that you celebrate. Point out what you’re proud about, and set the stage for making report-card day one that kids look forward to instead of dread.
  
  

For parents with children ages 10 - 15

• Kids at this age are often shocked how quickly their grades can drop, and many need to learn even more study skills to do well academically. Monitor your children’s grades and also set firm boundaries around getting homework done and the importance of education.
  
  
• If your child is struggling in a class, call the teacher and set up a teacher-parent-student meeting. Talk through the issues before your child gets too far behind.
  


• This is a critical age when many kids can easily disengage from school. Don’t allow this to happen. Work with teachers, counselors, tutors, and other interested adults to keep your kids interested and enthusiastic about school. Explain that sometimes school gets hard, but when you work at it, you can feel good about the progress you make.
  
  
• Talk about how grades matter since colleges, vocational schools, and other post-high-school educational opportunities consider grades in deciding whom to accept. Grades typically start counting in ninth grade, but kids who learn solid study skills and get good grades in the earlier years will be more ready for ninth grade.
  

For parents with children ages 16 - 18

• This is another critical academic time for teenagers since it’s easy to disengage from learning, especially when classes get hard. Continue to monitor your teenager’s academic progress. Many schools now have online portals that will connect you to your teenager’s grades, attendance records, and homework assignments. If your school offers this, sign up and monitor it weekly. Encourage your teenager to monitor it as well.
  
  
• Continue to talk about how grades impact post-high-school graduation education opportunities. Be clear that these institutions also evaluate standardized test scores, co-curricular activities, and signs of leadership. Help your teen to develop a well-rounded resume that brings out her best.
  
  
• Monitor your teenager’s stress levels. Some find high school academically competitive and can psych themselves out. Others think high school is a waste of time and try to do the minimum. Talk about how high school is a key part of your child’s life and how he can make the most of it.
  

---

Get more ideas on how to help kids succeed in school—visit: http://www.search-institute.org/downloads and scroll down to the Insights & Evidence report Boosting Student Achievement.

---

Mother's Day

“The doctors told me I would never walk, but my mother told me I would, so I believed my mother.”—Wilma Rudolph, Olympic gold medalist

Mother’s Day is coming, and the holiday can stir up mixed feelings in moms. Most moms hope that their kids will do something to show their appreciation, but depending on their age, they don’t always do this. Choose a way to celebrate that recharges Mom’s batteries and inspires her to be a better parent.

Try it...

For all parents

• Your kids are always watching you—and listening to you (even when they don’t act like it). Wilma Rudolph had polio as a child and was told she would never walk. Her mother said otherwise and inspired Wilma not only to walk—but to become an athlete who won four Olympic medals. What kind of a role model are you?
  
  
• Adjust your expectations for Mother’s Day. Instead of expecting something from others, do something special for yourself. If you’re a dad, figure out a way to show appreciation to your kids’ mom (along with the kids). If you’re a stepparent or you don’t have custody of your kids on Mother’s Day, figure out a way to connect—even if it’s through a phone call or e-mail.
  
  
• If your mom is still alive, figure out how to celebrate all the moms in your life without taking away from the mom in your household.

For parents with children ages birth to 5

• Create a keepsake that you would like to keep long term. Finger-paint with your child and have your child make a set of handprints for you. If you have a baby, use finger paints to make footprints of your baby’s feet. Make sure to date the picture. For more ideas, visit www.pbsparents.org.
  
  
• Put away the to-do list and take a break. When your child naps on Mother’s Day, join your child. If your child has outgrown naps, have a quiet time together. If you don’t have custody of your child on this day, consider Mother’s Day a “take-a-break” day and do something special for yourself.
  


• Give Mom a one- to four-hour break to take a walk alone, take a long bath, or read a book. Moms of young children rarely get uninterrupted time to do something for themselves.

For parents with children ages 6 - 9

• This is an ideal age to do a family activity together on Mother’s Day. Go bumper bowling. Visit a zoo. Play a board game. See a movie together.
  


• Talk about what you admire best about your children. Then ask your children what they like about you. If you don’t have custody of your children on this day, drop a note to your kids saying what you like about them.
  


• If you’re a dad, consider making Mother’s Day coupons with your kids for Mom to use during the year. Tasks could include clearing the table, loading the dishwasher, giving a backrub, or picking up toys in the living room.
  

For parents with children ages 10 - 15

• Relax your Mother’s Day expectations at this age. Depending on your child’s mood (and age), Mother’s Day could be hysterically funny (because of the silly moods kids can get) or tense (because of their dark moods). Think big picture and go with the flow. Remember happier Mother’s Days if it helps and remember that this stage doesn’t last forever.
  
  
• Moms often like to take a break from their kids on Mother’s Day at this age. That’s normal. Allow for that to happen if that’s what Mom would like best.
  


• Encourage kids to use their talents to celebrate Mom. Ask a budding artist to draw a picture. Have a musician play a song.

For parents with children ages 16 - 18

• Teenagers often like to go out to eat (and don’t always have the money to do so). Consider celebrating Mother’s Day by going to a restaurant. Teenagers are more likely to participate.
  
  
• Depending on the teenager, Mother’s Day can feel more like a problem than a holiday (especially if you have a teenager who complains about why moms and dads each get an annual holiday and teenagers don’t). Be patient. Invite teens to do something for Mother’s Day, but don’t force them. If you don’t have custody of your child on this day or you’re a stepparent, adjust your expectations. Some Mother’s Days will be more memorable—and easier—than others.
  


• Let Mom sleep in and make her breakfast in bed. This often entails getting teenagers onboard beforehand, since many teens can sleep in much longer than Mom. Or serve an evening dessert picnic style in the living room.