Power Moms Unite

I don’t think anyone would argue against the idea that reading is critical to a child’s life success. Reading provides the foundation for school achievement in all the other academic subjects, including math, science, social studies, writing, and foreign languages. What is discussed far less, is how reading can provided insulation from life’s adversity- be that everything from poverty and neglect to social exclusion by a “girl-clique” at school. Reading can act as a form of escapism.

For a parent of kids with ADHD, this news is good and bad. Reading can offer insulation from the stress of not feeling social success- hooray. On the other hand however, kids with ADHD often struggle to enjoy reading- hmmm… As their parent working to encourage reading, the effort to foster an interest, let alone a love of reading, can feel futile- I admit I have been known to think- “this is impossible- he’s just not a reader.”

Jim Trelease, journalist turned reading advocate, really began the “read-aloud movement,” in 1979 when he published his first addition of the “Read Aloud Handbook.” (There have been 6 editions printed and issued in every language from English to Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese.) He argues that we have to cultivate readers by giving them the tools to love reading. We begin this process by reading aloud to our children.

From my own experience, fostering the love of reading is not futile and far less daunting than I thought. I am now in the teen zone with one of my children and have several tweens in my house: all are readers. But, it wasn’t always this way. Several years ago, I could have done magic tricks or paid them money for each book read and most of my kids would have still refused to read. I am convinced the nightly ritual of me reading to them has made the difference. It has given our family a book to discuss and has added to both our family’s identity and shared experiences.

In this time when money is tight and jobs uncertain modeling a method of escapism is healthy for everyone. It has allowed me to transport my family, teenagers to toddlers to places I might not otherwise been able to take them. We’ve been with Odysseus to Troy. We have been lost in Digitopolis and met both the Mathemagician and the Dyne. We have met all the Greek and Norse gods and met Desperaux before he was a movie star. Currently we are deep in the Louisiana bayou with a hound and pregnant cat.

It is from this shared world of book experiences, that several years later, all my middle school and elementary school aged kids are independent readers, have running book requests from the local library, and express real opinions about what they read. A few items that helped me, help them along their love-to-read journey are included below.  Some are parent guides, other are magazines kept in the bathroom.  Some are primarily picture magazines and others are comic books.  All have contributed to our success, regardless where each individual child’s skill began.  I hope you will find the list helpful.  I encourage you to add your own suggestions as well.  Happy Family Reading, Candace

Jim Trelease’s Read Aloud Handbook

NYT Guide to Children’s Books

OWL Magazine

Zoo Books

Boy’s Life

Kids Discover

Bone Series

Diary of the Wimpy Kid Series

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Series