It seems reading is becoming a lost art among our children. When I was a kid I loved to read—I still do! Of course when I was younger we didn’t have cable TV, iPods, cell phones for text messaging, PlayStation, and Xbox. Maybe if we had I wouldn’t have spent much time peering into books. It makes me glad to be a child of the 60s and 70s, without all those distraction. I learned so much by reading. If you’re having trouble getting your kids to crack open a book, I found some ideas that might help on the Reading Is Fundamental website, RIF.org.

Suggestions to Encourage Reading
If your child is having difficulty reading, talk to his teacher. He or she might be able to suggest books that would interest your child and are written at his reading level. Kids might think that reading is simply boring compared to everything else they can do in this fast-paced world. Show them that reading for pleasure is totally different than reading a textbook. At home they choose their own topics and titles (with your guidance). They can read for sheer entertainment or learn from biographies of current entertainers or sports heroes. Giving kids a chance to choose the subject gives them some control.

A Few Don’ts
• No nagging. Don’t hound your kids into reading; they will only resent it.
• Don’t criticize what they read even if it seems too simple for their age. Any reading is better than none—it can build self-confidence in their reading skills.

Settling in with a good book is one of life’s great pleasures, and good reading skills aid kids in their education. So help your children learn that valuable lesson—I’m glad my parents did.

Until next time...

Kevin Ogle, a native Oklahoman, is a news anchor on Oklahoma’s NewsChannel 4. He and his wife have two teenage daughters.