Kids and Reading (with a comics bent)

[cuervo72]

Interesting article on gender and reading habits.

http://www.comixology.com/articles/41/Gender-and-Reading-Habits-Part-One-Let-s-Hear-it-for-the-Boys

One line jumped out at me (well, it was in an excerpt in the blog entry which linked to it, so that helped):

Apparently, not only do boys have a more difficult time early on learning to read, of those who do read for pleasure, many stop when they reach the preteen years

I never had a hard time learning to read, I read early and often. But that came to a screeching halt as I entered 7th grade at 12. Haven't read much since. That is something I'd like to avoid having happen with my son.

Chuckled at the Captain Underpants reference too. My son has a stack of those. :)

[Ksyrup]

I read tons up until high school, when I spent so much time on school that I didn't have time to read for pleasure. Now, the only time I read is on vacations.

[kurtism]

I was a voracious reader all the way through high school, and still read for pleasure in college. Law school killed it for me, though - just too much of my energy required for school reading at that point. Never really have returned to my old habits, sadly. I rarely have the free time to devote to a novel, so now I get my reading fix through short bursts, like comics.

[kurtism]

Dola. Trying really hard to instill a love of reading in both kids. Way to early to see how it plays out, but we read to them all the time, and both regularly ask us to read to them (4.5 year-old daughter and 18 month old son).

[Fidatelo]

I have always read in spurts. I'll read 2 or 3 books in a month, then go 2 or 3 months without reading a book. This has been my pattern for as long as I can remember.

[Marc Vaughan]

I've always been a voracious reader* - as with many things I think partly its because I grew up in a house where reading was the 'norm' ...

My mum always read to me and was often seen reading books so as a kid it was something to aspire to (ie. grown up).

My daughter took to reading like a fish to water, my eldest son has been a little slower to catch on - but has demolished all the underpant books and is now finding his feet, once he's firmly established I'll be a happy man as I think reading is an essential life learning skill.

*Normally around a book a week, sometimes I'll go mad and read more but I've kids and a family now so generally plod through at around that pace until I've flights or similar where I can let loose a real 'binge' :D

[Marc Vaughan]

Oh and one thing to possibly try if you're lousy at reading aloud* is getting a BBC radio reading of a book and playing it for them at regular bedtime slots - for instance for 9+ (depending on the kid) year olds there's a wonderful lord of the rings series which I listened to on the radio with my mum when I was 9, it was great and I still remember it now.

*When they're very young don't worry about 'being lousy' - I am awful, the kids love me reading to them anyway for the attention and interaction as much as anything.
(It also helps if you stick to books you know - my youngest 'knows' he'll get cat in the hat as one of his two books at least one night in 2 because its my favourite kids book and I know it off by heart .... its also one my mum always read to me, I'm kinda hoping my kids will remember it when they have kids and read it to theirs ..... etc. :D)

[Ksyrup]

I just did Fox in Socks last night with the 3 year old. She was laughing her butt off as I flew through it as fast as I could. By the end, my jaw hurt.