NOTE: Be sure to check your state’s laws for homeschooling. Get it directly from their website.
No matter their age, let your children read. Anything and everything they want...unless there’s something in particular you don’t want them to read. Give them time to read, even if it’s most of the day.
That statement sums it up. If you want to read on, by all means.
I’m an avid reader. I’ve learned a lot of things from books. I’ve enjoyed a lot of books. Still do. I found that being a reader is a big plus in this world and opens doors. It’s a life skill. But to be an avid reader, you have to like reading. You don’t learn to like reading by being forced to constantly read things you don’t like. It can be a real bother to only be allowed to read something within a time limit. Conversely, if I go to the library and see a book I just have to read and get so into it that I keep my house and self just clean enough to be presentable and then I can read and read and maybe I go to sleep at midnight...or 2 am because I’m reading a mystery or a fantasy and I just have to know how it ends, then I’m reading because I love it.
When I first started homeschooling, I was uptight. One week, I took my kids to the library and told them in my best mom/teacher voice, “Today you must check out a non-fiction book and read it before you read any others.” Well, that lasted about a week. Even I hated the idea. After that I let my children read whatever they wanted. My oldest liked to read National Geographic. Not read the photo captions, he READ the articles. The second oldest loved historical fiction. The third was into fantasy. The fourth liked an assortment of genres and she especially liked listening to audiobooks, which still moved her into loving books and reading. Their love of reading has made them capable readers so they’re able to read for information. A couple of my kids are great writers, too. I really wish they would finish writing their novels and at least e-book them. Being readers has served them well, too.
As a bonus, reading painlessly improves spelling and vocabulary. To emphasize:
More reading = better spelling and vocabulary. You honestly do not have to have spelling tests nor vocabulary tests. FYI: their vocabulary will improve more if they look up words when they come across ones they don't know but it's more enjoyable to read a book without having to stop and look in a dictionary (you don't, do you?), especially if they can discern the meaning of the word by the surrounding sentences. Yay for reading!
If you’re concerned about a child’s reading, try reading Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don't: How it Happens and What You Can Do About It, by Mary Leonhardt.
No matter their age, let your children read. Anything and everything they want...unless there’s something in particular you don’t want them to read. Give them time to read, even if it’s most of the day.
That statement sums it up. If you want to read on, by all means.
I’m an avid reader. I’ve learned a lot of things from books. I’ve enjoyed a lot of books. Still do. I found that being a reader is a big plus in this world and opens doors. It’s a life skill. But to be an avid reader, you have to like reading. You don’t learn to like reading by being forced to constantly read things you don’t like. It can be a real bother to only be allowed to read something within a time limit. Conversely, if I go to the library and see a book I just have to read and get so into it that I keep my house and self just clean enough to be presentable and then I can read and read and maybe I go to sleep at midnight...or 2 am because I’m reading a mystery or a fantasy and I just have to know how it ends, then I’m reading because I love it.
When I first started homeschooling, I was uptight. One week, I took my kids to the library and told them in my best mom/teacher voice, “Today you must check out a non-fiction book and read it before you read any others.” Well, that lasted about a week. Even I hated the idea. After that I let my children read whatever they wanted. My oldest liked to read National Geographic. Not read the photo captions, he READ the articles. The second oldest loved historical fiction. The third was into fantasy. The fourth liked an assortment of genres and she especially liked listening to audiobooks, which still moved her into loving books and reading. Their love of reading has made them capable readers so they’re able to read for information. A couple of my kids are great writers, too. I really wish they would finish writing their novels and at least e-book them. Being readers has served them well, too.
As a bonus, reading painlessly improves spelling and vocabulary. To emphasize:
More reading = better spelling and vocabulary. You honestly do not have to have spelling tests nor vocabulary tests. FYI: their vocabulary will improve more if they look up words when they come across ones they don't know but it's more enjoyable to read a book without having to stop and look in a dictionary (you don't, do you?), especially if they can discern the meaning of the word by the surrounding sentences. Yay for reading!
If you’re concerned about a child’s reading, try reading Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don't: How it Happens and What You Can Do About It, by Mary Leonhardt.
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