Ready? Set? Read!

in Education by Candice Shakur — May 31, 2011 at 8:38 am | 5 comments

5 Summer Reading Program Questions

- Starting a system for your own family

My husband and I were blessed with our first child a few months ago. I know everyone says it, but I mean it – she’s the best! And lucky her, she has 2 parents who love to read. She’s only 2 months old, but her dad and I have already started talking about what books she needs to be reading. As we started putting together a reading list for our daughter, I was reminded of a time a few years ago when I put together another list.

The Chore Chart

I was about 10 years old and had the brilliant idea to make a themed chore chart for my older brother and me. Being the little sister was a non-factor for me: I just knew that once he saw the chart, he would be motivated to work through the list until everything was done. We would have a productive summer and our parents would shower us with praise and presents.

I got out my nice black marker, pretty blue ruler, and the good construction paper from under my bed. I was ready to work. A quarter for making the bed? Sure! Fifty cents for washing the dishes? Sounds right to me! I made sure to leave a column on the right for both of us to sign off a task as we finished it. Finally, finished list in hand, I went to the refrigerator and posted it for everyone to see.

I waited. And waited for someone to see the list and just fall in love with it.

Nothing happened! People came and went to the refrigerator and said nothing. Days came and went and only my signature was on the chore chart. What was wrong with my family? Didn’t they know that a chart was supposed to motivate people? That crossing things off a list was supposed to encourage people to get things done? Gosh, even my 10-year old self appreciated these things, so why didn’t they?

Charts Don’t Magically Motivate

What I finally realized – many years later – is that charts on their own don’t work. Had I asked my family about the chore chart before I made it, they might have agreed to support it. They might’ve even helped me make an even better chart.

Interestingly, if you look up how to get children motivated to read during the summer, you’ll find a lot of sites suggest you make a reading list or chart – similar to what I did with the chores. But what you can do that I didn’t know to do is involve your whole family in the process.

Involve Everyone in the Reading Plan

For example, instead of just looking up the 10 most popular books for 8th graders, why not sit down with your 8th grader and come up with your own list of must-reads?

Hey, take it a step further and create your own family reading program . Consider asking each other:

1. How many books do we want to read this summer?
2. Which books should we read? Should there be a theme?
3. How can we help each other reach our reading goals?
4. How will we celebrate the finishing of a book?
5. What will happen once we reach our goal?

At 2 months old, my daughter is a little young to collaborate on much, but I look forward to working with her in a few years to create the first ever Shakur Family Summer Reading Program!

In the meantime, let me know what you think. Would a family summer reading program work for your family?

Tags: books children family reading