How Do I Find The Time To Read With My Young Child?

Are you frustrated because you have great intentions but just can't seem to find time to read regularly with your child? You know it is important but it just seems to get squeezed out. You aren't alone.

Here are a few secrets to finding that time and making it rewarding for both you and your child:

1) think about the importance of reading with your children. It is when we reflect on where our time is going that we as adults most often get our priorities back on track. Reading aloud with children is the "single most important activity" to eventually build the skills necessary to be a good reader. It isn't worksheets; it isn't flashcards (who remembers favorites of those - do you?).

2) carve out time in 10-20 minute increments. Your schedule may not allow more or your child may need small doses so that he leaves with a pleasant taste in his mouth about the experience instead of a negative one because he was asked to sit still for too long.

If you don't read regularly with your child now, don't try to make it a daily thing right away. It's kind of like eating a healthier diet. Very few of us will completely change what we eat at one time. We work on it gradually, with goals, and slowly we change. That kind of change is more likely to become habit. Parents are the best ones to set this example, according to Johnny Appleseed.

If you read with your child, once or twice a week, add one day. Wherever you are, if you aren't reading every day with your children, bump it up a day.

3) recognize the reality that, with your schedule, you may not be able to have a story-time or reading time together every single night, especially during the weekedays with homework, extra activities, baths, dinner, etc. I'll share a secret with you. Research seems to indicate that families who read at least three times a week MINIMUM with their children have a greater impact than those that read less frequently. Am I telling you that so you will not try to read with them every day? No. But I am saying use that framework as a minimum goal. Look at #4 to see what to do on the days you legitimately can't find time.

4) When you cannot read with your child, read the world. While running errands in the car, there is always an opportunity to read. Our world is full of text - signs, billboards, maps, restaurant take-out menus, business banners or signs. At home there is junk mail, laundry labels on clothing, soccer schedules, notes and reminders on the refrigerator or calendar. Think about the grocery store and how much there is to read there (your list, labels and nutritional information, advertisements, etc.) Reading is Fundamental shares more ideas in their summer article but you can use these tips anytime to remind you . Show your child that reading is truly a tool for life.

These ideas ensure your child gets a daily dose of practice with reading but it fits into today's family schedules. The key is consistency.

5) Last, but not least: If your child is a beginning reader, that doesn't mean that your time together should always be your child practicing reading to you. There are two reasons to flip it around and read to him or her sometimes:

first, the books your child can read on his own with little or no help from you often contain "controlled vocabulary". That simply means that these books have been specifically written so that your child will mainly see words that she already knows. That's important for her practice so she becomes fluent (starts to put words into phrases and sentences rather than reading one word at a time). However, if you limit your child's reading to these controlled vocabulary (or leveled) books, you also limit his exposure to new vocabulary, which if that is all the diet of reading he has, can stunt his reading growth. Some of my favorite books about words (that will help you introduce your children to new words in a fun way are Maisey's Amazing Big Book of Words, Big, Bigger, Biggest, and any of Karma Wilson's picture books.

Secondly, if you are the one doing the reading, you can read books with higher levels of vocabulary (which will grow your child's listening vocabulary - the words she knows and understands when she hears them). That will connect later to his reading vocabulary (he'll recognize words more easily when he has them in his listening vocabulary already). Try sharing the chapter book, Charlotte's Web, a chapter or a partial chapter at a time. Give your child a crayon or pencil and a piece of paper and suggest that he draw a picture about the story since there are few pictures in this book.

You can also share books with more complex ideas and have great discussions over what is happening (or will happen) in the book. Even among picture books, there are many that are written beyond a beginning reading level such as Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words, The New Way Things Work, or The Librarian Who Measured the Earth. Reading these types of books with your child helps him/her with his understanding (comprehension). That can happen even before the child is a reader in the conventional sense. Don't fall into the trap of limiting what your child is exposed to or what you choose to read together. Let your child's interest be your guide.

Talk with your spouse, your best friend, your mom or dad about how you can find time in your busy day for reading with your child. Even a fellow co-worker may be struggling with the same challenges in this area as you. Reading together, sharing a book, can even be a stress-reliever for you and your child.

Please take a few minutes to share. Send a link to this blog along to a friend. Share with us in a comment how you make time for reading in your busy schedule in a comment on this blog. I'm sure others would benefit greatly from your additions to this post ( and I know I would love to hear from you!)

Delicious, Delightful Read Alouds

Occasionally, I still long for the days when our son, Charlie, was small. He'd come from preschool, snuggle close beside me and we'd dive into a book. Now I get my "little kid fix" from preschoolers in centers where I consult and train teachers and families.

What made those times long ago so special? It is the fact that the reading experience was bigger than the book. It's no different today. There is a danger that, with all the focus on reading skills in school (which is important but not the whole picture), we as parents may forget to tap into the pure joy, suspense, delight and fun of reading aloud with our children.

When you do that, not only is it a relationship-building experience with your child, but it is a guaranteed stress reliever for you (and who doesn't need that in today's face-paced world). It's more positive than forcing your child to practice with the focus on correcting and directing. Besides, the message behind picture books can be meaningful to you, not just your child.

So remind yourself that these sweet days are passing, kick off your shoes, snuggle close, and dive into a book together. Here are a few of my favorites.

I have to squeeze in this tidbit: keep your eyes open for Jane Yolen's latest book due out in October, How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?.

For more tips on making reading with your child an incredible experience every time, visit The Diva Toolbox. For an extra dose of practice advice, a conversation between two passionate professionals and moms, tune in to Stacey Kannenberg's "Ready to Learn Mom" show at

11AM EST on 9/23.

Cathy and host, Stacey Kannenberg, will be discussing

Parents in the Literacy Loop: Why Families Are The Key To Children's Reading Abilities and Success.

If you can't tune in live tomorrow, there will be a podcast available after the fact that the same website. Be sure to listen!

Last gift today for you . . . take one idea you learn from this blog and share it with one other person (your spouse, your neighbor, the person you want to get to know in your child's class or play group, Grandma or Grandpa). It could start a revolution!

Picture Books Are For Everyone

Has your child ever come home from school, frustrated because he or she feels lost in a class? We've probably all been there at one time or another. You feel for them but when you read the content with them or ask them questions, you just get a blank stare. Most often, the real reason behind that is that the student has no place to begin, no frame of reference to connect to. Educators call that foundational understanding, "background knowledge" or "schema". Without a place to start ("oh, I know this information already, so I can understand the new information better"), students may not be able to make sense of it.

Think of what would happen if you had never learned to read and you were suddenly given text. You wouldn't be able to understand, no matter how hard you tried. Or maybe you were thrown into the middle of an engineering project with no training in that area. It would be impossible to be successful or to learn more without a foundation. It's the same when it comes to understanding writing, historical events and times, science, math, music, art, most anything -- we all need a starting place.

To find that starting place, enter the world of today's picture books. They are more colorful than ever with exquisite art created by true talents such as Jerry Pinkney and Jan Brett. They sometimes contain complex ideas in a simple format (like Patricia McKissack's Goin' Someplace Special).

Want to find more treasures to help your children learn content-related facts and information? Visit my Amazon List to find more suggested titles on the subject of music (all the way from Native American and African roots to classical and jazz legends).

Because I recognize this is an issue and that parents want to help, I've created a new environmentally friendly resource to help you find even more fantastic subject-matter picture books (the new e-book is entitled Powerful Picture Books: 180 Ideas for Promoting Content Learning available at Inspiring Teachers. Powerful Picture Books will soon be featured at Cool Book of the Day where you can find a new cool book for you posted there every day.

One last resource: my friend, Vicki Cobb and a group of over 25 of her fellow nonfiction writers have started a new blog at I.N.K.. It highlights interesting Non-fiction for Kids and is a fantastic source for finding even more great non-fiction books for kids of all ages. Non-fiction is the heart of fact-finding and most reading beyond 3rd grade is content area or nonfiction reading. Whether you are looking for science books, books about famous people, language, painting or whatever, you're likely to find a sampling there.

With these tools, you have an easy way to support your child's learning. Find out what your student's subjects (outside of reading)will be this year. Tap into the world of picture books (fiction and non-fiction) to use as a fun, interactive way to help your child gain the basics. You'll help them gain a position where they can soar.

Even if you have a child who is doing well in school, search out a picture book or two that relates to a time in history or a subject that they may not study very much in school. Parents, after all, are first and forever teachers and the more your child knows, the better prepared he/she will be to succeed in school, on standardized tests and in life.

Happy Reading!

A New Year for Reading

Families are busy this time of year, starting to think about getting the kids back to school, supplies, clothes, even a bit more peace and quiet. Put reading on your channel. I'm going to speak this week to those of you who have preschool children or children who start school this year. These early ages are most important for developing a love of reading (which is just as critical as getting the "skills" right). Also, setting regular times for sharing stories together helps build a "behavior" approach to reading. That's the greatest gift you can give your youngsters because it will lead them to be a life-long learner. No matter where their life's road takes them, reading and writing are essential tools.

As you move toward the routine of "school days", don't get too caught up in the academics of reading. Yes, children need to learn certain skills like decoding to become readers. However, if we don't give children mostly positive experiences with reading, they will come to the reading table reluctantly and only practice it when forced. Forcing, as Jim Trelease says, is rarely effective.

Get to know your child's teacher early in the year (preschool or K) and communicate with him or her about your child's development and their needs. Be their greatest cheerleader but don't have too perfect a view of where they are. That only builds barriers between home and school.

A few new titles I want to share with you:

The Trucktown Series by Jon Sciezska (a raucous, rambling series that's fun and fast). Jon is known as the National Ambassador for Young Children's literature

Think happy by Nancy Carleson - Nancy's books are always simple and fun. This one is no different and we all need to be thinking happy thoughts at the start of school.

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, winner of the 2009 Caldecott Metal for Children's Picture Books

A few closing words: find a friend who doesn't read with their child or is expecting a new baby. Plan some playdates in which your children can socialize, and play. When they've run to you, with flushed cheeks and ready to wind down, have a big comfortable quilt or chair and a cool drink, plus a new book to share. You just may become a Literacy Ambassador, to influence your friend in a way that will reward them and their child, strengthen their understanding of their own child and the relationship between the two of them. Great way to start the school year, don't you think?