Kids, Books: The Summer List

I used to work in the county library, and this is the time of year when parents suddenly noticed that reading wasn't big on their kids "to do" list for summer. I know, life is complicated—lots to do, less time to get it done in—but the arrival of the Summer Reading Lists always sent people into a panic.

I grew up in a house where reading was... well... what we did. Mom and Dad were both avid readers—especially Dad. Toys were a luxury... but books? THOSE you could have. My father made a deal with me when I was young. If I wanted to read a book, he would get it for me: no questions asked, no censorship. So I read Shakespeare before I was ten. My mother wasn't as laid back about it, but Dad and the local library kept me supplied. I was hooked, and by college had a three-book-a-week habit (aside from required reading, of course).

When I was at the library, I noticed something. A lot of the parents who had trouble getting their kids to read weren't readers themselves. I remember one mom telling me she hadn't read a book since high school. (She was 38 at the time.) I know I struggled to hold a nice bland library lady expression, but I was shocked.

We give our kids all sorts of important habits—we teach them life skills—but somehow, we forgot reading. That blows my mind a bit. Reading is amazing. It ups your vocabulary, it gives fodder to the imagination, and it makes you more interesting, because you are exposing yourself to the ideas of others. But we are busy, and in love with our electronics. We see our kids using their computers, and think, "Okay, they are reading."

Not so fast. A huge amount of online material is unmonitored. That means no one is watching over the content, the grammar, the spelling, or anything else. An hour onFacebook or Twitter is not like an hour reading a book. Kids tend to use "chat speak", and last time I checked, that wasn't allowed on SAT's or in college comp. (No lie, when I signedup for a college course last year, the course guidelines had a section on chat speak. The professor wanted to be clear that it was NOT to be used in papers or assignments. Scary, huh?)

And they have done studies that show that we don't retain information from a video screen the same way we do a printed page. They believe the tactile element of books helps them stay in our minds better, and I believe it. When I was working at the library, I remember a bright young woman coming in to research a major paper for school. Several weeks later, I asked her something about one of the major elements, and she looked at me blankly. I realised that she didn't remember any of it. And she had done a TON of research... most of it online.

I know people love their Kindles and e-readers, but I am still betting on books. Get them in your kids' hands and you'll get them in their heads. Read a few yourself. If you won't get caught dead reading, I promise you, neither will your child. Let THEM choose the material. If they don't read, try and find out why. Some kids actually need glasses, and some have trouble reading due to mild dyslexia or other issues.

Another plus: reading books improves focus. Online there are ads, pop-ups, all sorts of little distractions. Our kids are multitasking to the n-th degree...but when you read a book, that's ALL you are doing. Sound like a plan?

When my daughter transitioned from picture books to books with primarily print, the huge blocks of letters intimidated her. So I taught her use an index card, and slide it down the page as she read. In a couple of weeks, she didn't need it, and at 8, she read The Hobbit by herself. I couldn't read fast enough for her!

Of all the habits that can help your child in their lives, reading is the top of the list... so don't take it for granted!