My daughter is in Grade 11, she told me that for Grade 10 English, they didn't read all of Romeo and Juliet, they just did bits of it and watched some of the movie - is that all we think teens are capable of understanding? I don't get a sense there are many works covered in English class, not when I think back on my high school days to what we used to read. That said, she is doing more reading of her own at home - and so am I! I was always a big reader and currently belong to three different book clubs so I always have something on the go, trying to be the model here!
I love your suggestions! My 13 year old daughter has always loved reading, and my challenge is to find books for her that suit her reading ability but are still age appropriate (she's been asking to read A Little Life and Normal People, which is slightly terrifying). My 11 year old son tells me he hates reading and he is constantly bored and looking for people to do stuff with him. As an experiment, I'm going to pick up a bunch of fact books (which he likes) and place them strategically all over the house. Really appreciate your ideas!
I'm curious to know your thoughts on audiobooks... I'm an analogue evangelist but I also know how much pleasure my (not yet reading independently) daughter gains from listening to audiobooks whilst she crafts/creates/plays.
Hi Stephanie! I loved listening to audiobooks when I was a kid. The narrator always sparked vivid imaginary worlds in my mind. While my own kids never really got into them, I think they're a great addition to a kid's playtime, as long as they don't replace physical reading practice or reading time with parents. The nice thing about narrated stories is that they can be more complex than what a child is capable of reading on their own, so they're a good way to stretch comprehension and vocabulary while keeping a kid engaged. So, I'd say go for it!
I started reading to my son before we even left the hospital-Covid baby meant no visitors, so we read books! So many of the hospital professionals thought I was really weird. Oh well!
3.5 years later, we just got back from the library and have already read the stack of books twice. He even wanted to read a book at the park but it was too cold for that! Books are amazing!
My daughter is in Grade 11, she told me that for Grade 10 English, they didn't read all of Romeo and Juliet, they just did bits of it and watched some of the movie - is that all we think teens are capable of understanding? I don't get a sense there are many works covered in English class, not when I think back on my high school days to what we used to read. That said, she is doing more reading of her own at home - and so am I! I was always a big reader and currently belong to three different book clubs so I always have something on the go, trying to be the model here!
Out of all your suggestions, I really think kids seeing their parents reading is absolutely the one to prioritize!
I love your suggestions! My 13 year old daughter has always loved reading, and my challenge is to find books for her that suit her reading ability but are still age appropriate (she's been asking to read A Little Life and Normal People, which is slightly terrifying). My 11 year old son tells me he hates reading and he is constantly bored and looking for people to do stuff with him. As an experiment, I'm going to pick up a bunch of fact books (which he likes) and place them strategically all over the house. Really appreciate your ideas!
Love this Katherine 📚
I'm curious to know your thoughts on audiobooks... I'm an analogue evangelist but I also know how much pleasure my (not yet reading independently) daughter gains from listening to audiobooks whilst she crafts/creates/plays.
Would love to hear your take ☺️
Hi Stephanie! I loved listening to audiobooks when I was a kid. The narrator always sparked vivid imaginary worlds in my mind. While my own kids never really got into them, I think they're a great addition to a kid's playtime, as long as they don't replace physical reading practice or reading time with parents. The nice thing about narrated stories is that they can be more complex than what a child is capable of reading on their own, so they're a good way to stretch comprehension and vocabulary while keeping a kid engaged. So, I'd say go for it!
I started reading to my son before we even left the hospital-Covid baby meant no visitors, so we read books! So many of the hospital professionals thought I was really weird. Oh well!
3.5 years later, we just got back from the library and have already read the stack of books twice. He even wanted to read a book at the park but it was too cold for that! Books are amazing!