This is so lovely, Sarah. I’ve used many of the same strategies in my house, though I didn’t think of them as strategies at the time. I’m just a bookish person so a lot of these habits and practices came naturally to me. And I’m so delighted by that study on the benefits of bedtime stories! Very heartening, given that “elite private school” is not in the cards here :)
Thank you, Rosalynn! I didn't think of any of these as strategies either, until I started trying to help other people do things that just came naturally to me as, like you, a bookish person. A lot of it is simple, but so effective. ("Elite private school" also not in the cards here 😊)
I love the inclusion of movies in literacy and agree 100%. My 6 year old loves Plants vs. Zombies (it’s a video game). He has memorized dozens of plants and zombies and arranges his stuffed animals for games, writes stories, and checks out the books to read aloud. Building a love of “worlds” is so important and cool to see as a parent.
I agree your thought about allowing them to choose what they read. I’ve got a 7 & 9 year old and they get to choose library books and then I curate our home library to include more well written content. I’m still learning a lot, but since books can change the way we see the world, I do try to discuss what they are reading from their choices and we work on how to find quality reading.
Absolutely — talking about choice of reading material is super important; thanks for pointing that out. I’m more concerned with people who restrict choice because of their own tastes — I don’t love Minecraft books but if my kids do, that’s worth honoring. (It’s also worth making sure that I’m exposing them to more than Minecraftt books. It’s a balance.)
I’ve forced myself to calm down about this bc I realized I was just driving myself crazy. My daughter is 8 and ready for a lot of my childhood favorites, but is interested in different things. For a few months I did create a rule that every other book could be a graphic novel, but now she’s over graphic novels! It moves fast :)
People get worked up (myself included, so I say that without judgment). I try to encourage parents and other caregivers to think about their own reading -- don't you pick up some less-than-amazing books sometimes? Haven't we all read some "bathtub books," or things we wouldn't even want other people to know about? Why should kids need to read only the very best? Of course, I fill my home with wonderful, high-quality books -- and you'd better believe the books we read-aloud are good ones -- but kids are *learning* these things. They're developing their own tastes. (If it wasn't for Daisy Meadows' Rainbow Fairies series, my niece, who could barely read in 5th grade before she found that series, would have kept on struggling -- but she fell in love with those garbage-y books, tore through stacks of them, and now she's 18yo and a voracious reader.)
Choice is the right of every reader, no matter their age.
We have books everywhere and reach for stories at moments of sadness and frustration. If I sense my son had a tough day, I’ll offer to snuggle in bed and read.
We also do a lot of audiobooks - it’s been a cold winter, made more difficult by uk energy bills, and my son will ask to snuggle up under the electric blanket and listen to an audiobook and podcast.
We also bring a book to restaurants, on the bus etc which is lovely. On a plane or long train journey, I’m very happy to hand over the iPad, but on everyday routes, we don’t do it.
We play a lot of word games and when we’re walking to school, my son will say “what do you want to have a chat about?” And we will talk about science or tell jokes etc. I notice his vocab is huge in comparison to his pals, and he’ll use big words correctly, etc. it’s not something we’ve consciously taught but he picked it up over time.
If we have a question, we will try to get it from the book, at home or in the library. I’ve been buying reference books, kids almanacs at the charity/thrift shops and T has them all in what he calls his “research library”
Hi Sarah, I've just come across this post via your 2023 roundup (I'm a recent subscriber). Thank you so much for writing these things. I was most struck by what you shared about t.v. We have two boys (3 1/2 and 2 yes old). In our efforts to guard against screens, we had resisted letting them watch anything on any type of device. But in recent months I have been starting to realise that there is a difference between letting a child, say, play a game on a phone and sitting down with them to watch a selected t v. episode together and talking about it with them. We have only just begun doing the later, so thank you for the reassurance!
Thanks for your kind words, James — and yes, there’s a huge difference! Screens and devices are a part of our lives, and instead of saying no to everything — which isn’t realistic for caregivers or children — I believe role is to help them navigate this world with good technology boundaries and practices (and model these things ourselves!) You’re doing a great job.
Thanks so much for this gorgeous and helpful post, Sarah. I'm a reader, as you know, but struggling to figure out how to raise readers. Your work is so helpful for me with my little ones, and gives me a lot of reprieve when I (so often) feel like I'm not doing it quite right.
You're so very welcome. You're doing the hardest work, Meera -- the absolute hardest. I do believe we lay the groundwork of raising readers when our kiddos are little littles, but also -- and this is important -- we're playing the long game here, so give yourself as much grace as you possibly can and know that all of your efforts matter, no matter how small, no matter how imperfect. Keep going, friend 🩷
Wonderful recommendations!!
Thanks, Amanda!
This is so lovely, Sarah. I’ve used many of the same strategies in my house, though I didn’t think of them as strategies at the time. I’m just a bookish person so a lot of these habits and practices came naturally to me. And I’m so delighted by that study on the benefits of bedtime stories! Very heartening, given that “elite private school” is not in the cards here :)
Thank you, Rosalynn! I didn't think of any of these as strategies either, until I started trying to help other people do things that just came naturally to me as, like you, a bookish person. A lot of it is simple, but so effective. ("Elite private school" also not in the cards here 😊)
I love the inclusion of movies in literacy and agree 100%. My 6 year old loves Plants vs. Zombies (it’s a video game). He has memorized dozens of plants and zombies and arranges his stuffed animals for games, writes stories, and checks out the books to read aloud. Building a love of “worlds” is so important and cool to see as a parent.
YES! THIS! Exactly!
Love these tips!
This post is an excellent resource that I've saved to come back to again and again. Thank you for pulling together such thoughtful resources!
You're welcome, Kuleigh -- I'm so glad it's helpful!
I agree your thought about allowing them to choose what they read. I’ve got a 7 & 9 year old and they get to choose library books and then I curate our home library to include more well written content. I’m still learning a lot, but since books can change the way we see the world, I do try to discuss what they are reading from their choices and we work on how to find quality reading.
Absolutely — talking about choice of reading material is super important; thanks for pointing that out. I’m more concerned with people who restrict choice because of their own tastes — I don’t love Minecraft books but if my kids do, that’s worth honoring. (It’s also worth making sure that I’m exposing them to more than Minecraftt books. It’s a balance.)
I’ve forced myself to calm down about this bc I realized I was just driving myself crazy. My daughter is 8 and ready for a lot of my childhood favorites, but is interested in different things. For a few months I did create a rule that every other book could be a graphic novel, but now she’s over graphic novels! It moves fast :)
People get worked up (myself included, so I say that without judgment). I try to encourage parents and other caregivers to think about their own reading -- don't you pick up some less-than-amazing books sometimes? Haven't we all read some "bathtub books," or things we wouldn't even want other people to know about? Why should kids need to read only the very best? Of course, I fill my home with wonderful, high-quality books -- and you'd better believe the books we read-aloud are good ones -- but kids are *learning* these things. They're developing their own tastes. (If it wasn't for Daisy Meadows' Rainbow Fairies series, my niece, who could barely read in 5th grade before she found that series, would have kept on struggling -- but she fell in love with those garbage-y books, tore through stacks of them, and now she's 18yo and a voracious reader.)
Choice is the right of every reader, no matter their age.
Wow wow wow there is so much goodness here! And I LOVE the reflective questions at the end. Thank you Sarah!!!
You're welcome, Hope!
I love this, thank you Sarah! A few things we do:
We have books everywhere and reach for stories at moments of sadness and frustration. If I sense my son had a tough day, I’ll offer to snuggle in bed and read.
We also do a lot of audiobooks - it’s been a cold winter, made more difficult by uk energy bills, and my son will ask to snuggle up under the electric blanket and listen to an audiobook and podcast.
We also bring a book to restaurants, on the bus etc which is lovely. On a plane or long train journey, I’m very happy to hand over the iPad, but on everyday routes, we don’t do it.
We play a lot of word games and when we’re walking to school, my son will say “what do you want to have a chat about?” And we will talk about science or tell jokes etc. I notice his vocab is huge in comparison to his pals, and he’ll use big words correctly, etc. it’s not something we’ve consciously taught but he picked it up over time.
If we have a question, we will try to get it from the book, at home or in the library. I’ve been buying reference books, kids almanacs at the charity/thrift shops and T has them all in what he calls his “research library”
Coree, what a list! You’re clearly doing an amazing job and your son is very lucky.
Oh! The portrait! Please frame and keep in your family's library forever!
I'm not even sure I know where it is right now. Somewhere in the tornado that is my home office 😬
Hi Sarah, I've just come across this post via your 2023 roundup (I'm a recent subscriber). Thank you so much for writing these things. I was most struck by what you shared about t.v. We have two boys (3 1/2 and 2 yes old). In our efforts to guard against screens, we had resisted letting them watch anything on any type of device. But in recent months I have been starting to realise that there is a difference between letting a child, say, play a game on a phone and sitting down with them to watch a selected t v. episode together and talking about it with them. We have only just begun doing the later, so thank you for the reassurance!
Thanks for your kind words, James — and yes, there’s a huge difference! Screens and devices are a part of our lives, and instead of saying no to everything — which isn’t realistic for caregivers or children — I believe role is to help them navigate this world with good technology boundaries and practices (and model these things ourselves!) You’re doing a great job.
Thanks so much for this gorgeous and helpful post, Sarah. I'm a reader, as you know, but struggling to figure out how to raise readers. Your work is so helpful for me with my little ones, and gives me a lot of reprieve when I (so often) feel like I'm not doing it quite right.
You're so very welcome. You're doing the hardest work, Meera -- the absolute hardest. I do believe we lay the groundwork of raising readers when our kiddos are little littles, but also -- and this is important -- we're playing the long game here, so give yourself as much grace as you possibly can and know that all of your efforts matter, no matter how small, no matter how imperfect. Keep going, friend 🩷