Make Reading Unspecial: Celebrating Family Literacy Month

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“It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.”

Although I’ve read it dozens of times, this last line of Charlotte’s Web brings a huge lump to my throat and tears to my eyes every single time. Reading it to my son (back when he was 7) was no different. Now, to be fair, I cry during McDonald’s commercials, but this was a legitimate “moment” for me.  It wasn’t just the sad ending of one of my most-loved childhood books; I had been waiting to share this story with my child since before he was even a twinkle in my eye.

Now he is 10, and we have a trove of memories and moments like that, as we have shared some of my most treasured books together: classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter, Holes, Wonder, and countless picture books. When we read together, we leave behind the bustle of the day, sit close together in cozy pajamas, and breathe a little deeper.

As a mom and an English teacher, both family and literacy are close to my heart, so I am delighted that November has been designated “Family Literacy Month.” I have always believed that reading is the single most important thing parents can do with their children to help them develop into intelligent, educated, and empathetic human beings.

Which, let’s be honest, is not as easy as it used to be. When we get home from our jobs, our schlepping, our volunteering, our homework checking, we are all exhausted. So we let our kids unwind in front of the TV or watch YouTube videos or play video games on their personal devices. It gives us a break, too. And to a certain extent, I’m all for that.

But we need to make sure reading is part of the mix. The act of reading together promotes things that screens don’t provide: physical togetherness, lots of eye contact, and conversations about big and complex things in the world like friendship, bullying, and love. It helps us teach empathy to our kids in a way that Fortnite never will.

According to Scholastic.com, more than 80% of kids polled reported that they loved being read to at home because “it was a special time with parents.” I propose that we make reading with our kids an un-special time, something we do with such frequency that it is as much a part of our routines as practicing an instrument, setting the table, or checking our emails.

In that vein, here are some ways to launch some reading routines in your family life that may generate excitement about reading.

Parent/Child Book Clubs

Join or start a parent/child book club with your child. I am in the midst of organizing a book club for my 10-year old son and his friends (and their parents). We will choose a book to read together, one that provides relevant topics and questions for kids to ponder. Books with strong characters and important messages make great book club choices. Many websites offer prepared questions that you can bring to the book club, but the best questions are the authentic ones that come from the kids. Look out for a future post about how our first book club goes!

My recommendations:

(Ages 9-12): Holes by Louis Sachar; Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli; Refugee by Alan Gratz; Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson; The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin; The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis; Wonder by R.J. Palacio

(Ages 6-9): Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo; Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White; The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate; Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner; Matilda by Roald Dahl.

Make Screen Time Equal to Reading Time

Yes, my son loves anything on a screen: video games, movies, YouTube videos. If it has colorful pixels, he’ll watch it. Rather than fight it, we make sure that he spends a proportionate amount of time absorbed in the pages of a book. The deal: he gets the same amount of screen time as reading time. So one hour of reading equals one hour of screen time. While I don’t necessarily love equating reading with “work” and screens with “play,” I trust that the book will do its job of engaging him and eventually become the reward in and of itself.  

Read Picture Books to Your Kids (Even the Older Ones)

There are so many beautiful picture books with important messages for older kids, books that tell stories about difficult concepts like the refugee experience (Gleam and Glow; The Color of Home) or the death of a loved one (The Tenth Good Thing About Barney; The Invisible String). Use these books to open the channels of conversation with your kids; it is often  easier for kids to talk about their concerns through characters than relaying the details of their own lives. I’m always surprised, both in my middle school classroom and at home, at how much older kids love having picture books read to them, bringing them back to a time that was simpler, even to them.

Be Okay With Whatever They Want to Read

As an English teacher, I can sometimes be a book snob. I’ve encouraged my son to read books that I know are well-written or have a deep meaning or are considered “classic.” I have to remind myself that I created my own reading life with books and authors that my parents had never heard of: Judy Blume, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, Beverly Cleary. In fact, if I only read what my parents had recommended, I probably never would’ve fallen in love with reading at all. (I still haven’t read The Red Badge of Courage–sorry, Dad). So I grit my teeth and let my kid read all the books in the Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid series….for the eighteenth time. But he is choosing his own books and he is choosing to read. Everybody wins.

Have a Family “Literature” Movie Night

While movies aren’t technically literature, many of them were books first.  And they provide a great incentive to read together! Watching the movie version of a book we’ve read gives us lots to talk about: which scenes were cut from the movie? Which characters looked totally different in our imaginations? And, of course, it’s another excuse to curl up together on the couch, share some popcorn, and talk about the story unfolding on our screen.

My recommendations: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG (Roald Dahl, anyone?) Charlotte’s Web, The Breadwinner, Stuart Little, Wonder, all the Harry Potter books, and Holes.  

Most important–practice what you preach, mamas! Take time for yourself to read, and let your kids see you do it! Make trips to the library a weekend routine, get your kids their own library cards, and borrow books for the whole family. Share the books you loved as a child, showing them how important books have been in your life. As you know, these years fly by, but the moments sharing books and stories will stay with your child–and you–for the rest of your lives.

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Lisa M.
Lisa is a middle school English teacher who lives with her husband (who she met when she was on a teen tour) and her son (born 2008). Lisa is also a stepmom to three teenagers. She grew up in Trumbull and, after stints in Boston and NYC, is happy to be back in Fairfield County where there is much better parking. She also started her own college essay coaching gig, ACCEPTional Essays, where she helps seniors in high school make their college essays pop out of the pack. She does a lot of volunteer work within her community at her synagogue and various organizations. She loves to play tennis and cook, and she hates doing laundry and anything with mayonnaise. Her quest continues to find the best sushi in Fairfield County.

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