Share a Story-Shape a Future Day 5: Reading for the Future

Oh my goodness … I got so wrapped up in reading the posts at Jen Robinson’s Book Page today that I completely forgot that I hadn’t written a post here at the Tub.  Have you been by Jen’s yet today? If you’ve got a reader (or not); if you’re a reader (or not); or if your just looking for some ideas, the answer is waiting for you at Reading for the Future.

It has been an incredible week of sharing … personal stories and reading journeys’, triumphs and stumbling blocks; and literacy ideas for home, school, just about anywhere. I cannot put into words how thrilled I am to *see* so many new faces and to have found some new literacy passionistas. Thank you one and all!  So before I devolve into total gushiness, here is today’s lineup. Jen has things broken down very nicely, and I am (unabashedly) pasting them in here.

Addressing some fundamental questions

• Dawn Morris shares “Am I a failure if I don’t read with my kids?” at Moms Inspire Learning. Dawn says: “Parents are juggling so much these days, and they may not have the time, the patience, or the desire to read with their children. How can they prevent themselves from dropping the ball of literacy? Let me count the ways…”
• Mary Ann Scheuer shares “How do I help my child learn to love reading if I am not a great reader myself?” at Great Kid Books. Mary Ann says: “If you want your child to enjoy reading, start by making reading time and story telling pleasurable. Think back to your own childhood. What memories bring warmth and a feeling of connectedness?”
• Amy Watson will be sharing “Help! My Reading Interests are Different from my Child’s” at Literacy Launchpad.

Managing expectations and reading levels

• Melissa shares “Kicking it Up a Notch: When Children are Stuck in a Reading Rut” at Book Nut. Based on her experience with her daughters, Melissa shares some ideas for getting kids who can read, but choose to spend their time doing other things, interested in books.
• Mary Lee Hahn shares “Trusting Your Child to Make It through His/ Her Current Reading Phase” at A Year of Reading. Mary Lee says: “As a parent, you will only live through your child’s fourth grade year one time. As a teacher, I’ve lived through fourth grade more than 20 times. Trust me when I tell you that in almost every case, your child will make it through “That Reading Phase.””
• Kate Messner shares “The Trouble with Great Expectations: Should kids be pushed to read more difficult books?” at Kate’s Book Blog. Kate says: “If we respect kids as readers, they come to trust that they can count on us to offer them the right books at the right time. In my experience, that’s the best way to nurture kids to become passionate, lifelong readers.”
• Dawn Little shares “Resisting the Urge to Create a Reading Superstar” at Literacy Toolbox. Dawn says: “These days, moms should really have the title of “Supermom”.  Not only do we have to juggle work, kids, husband, and maybe a little time for ourselves, but we also feel the pressure to make sure our kids are ready to read, if not already reading, before they begin kindergarten…  As pressures mount on parents these days, resist the urge to create a reading superstar in just two simple steps!”

Keeping things fun and fresh

• Esme Raji Codell shares “After the Love Has Gone: Read-Aloud for the Young and the Restless” at Planet Esme. Esme says: “I am … riffing about that unthinkable time when your child doesn’t want you to read aloud any more. Maybe they are busy “tweenagers.” Maybe they think read-aloud is for babies. Maybe they want to do it themselves. Maybe there is a divergence of interests. Sniff-sniff! What to do? Here are some strategies to bring even the biggest or busiest kid back to the book.”
• Pam Coughlan shares “Reading is Boring (Sometimes)” at Mother Reader. Pam says: “So, reading to your kids. It can be a wonderful experience, a chance to slow down in the busy day and share something together. I dare say that often you will find it a nice thing to do. My point isn’t to tell you that reading to your kids is boring, but instead to give you permission to sometimes feel like reading to your kids is boring. Because when we as mothers set ourselves up to a certain expectation to how something Should Be, we can fail to work with How It Is. “
• Sarah shares “Let the Sillies Out: Reading to Babies and Young Children” at In Need of Chocolate. Sarah says: “when it comes time to read to your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or young friend, most adults feel ridiculous roaring like a giant or mooing like a cow.  How do we get over our embarrassment at making barnyard noises or pantomiming an elephant sneezing? I have some suggestions that may help you make small changes in how you read and lead you to eventually roar and yelp and baa and crawl around like the silliest of adults.”
• Joyce Grant shares “Getting Your Video-Kid Reading” at Getting Kids Reading. Joyce says: “Your child loves video games but isn’t a big reader? No problem. Here are some tips that will get your video-loving kid reading.” She follows with seven wide-ranging tips.
• Caroline Lennox shares “Princess Books? Give Me a Break!” at Learning Parade. Caroline says: “Encouraging my daughter to develop a love of reading has luckily not been too difficult for us; developing her reading interests beyond “Princess Books” has been the hurdle. You know the books we’re talking about here – the pink, the frilly, the ‘life is sweet’ type that sometimes offer a free tiara and the like.”

Thank you all for joining us this week. There is lots of new stuff still happening at the Share a Story-Shape a Future blog.  There is one more day of Writing about Reading, with three questions related to building a reading bond with kids. We have also opened the polls for the RIF Multicultural Books giveaway, the PicPocket Books giveaway is still open, and, in honor of “the future” (as in young readers) we have announced our Bedtime Stories giveaway.