"I hate that I love you,
I can't put nobody else above you"

I Hate U, I Love U by Gnash ft Olivia O'Brien

Hi Reader,

Reading is an essential skill. From text messages to reading emails, adults are reading all day every day without even realizing it.

That's why it can be so scary and frustrating when you realize a child doesn't like to read.

Whatever you do to fix this, just know it's about the long game...

Here are 5 tips to get your little one to love reading:

Read Together:

Reading alone isn't always enjoyable. Create a reading time together. If your child is young or has a low tolerance, set a timer for 10 minutes of shared reading time, then extend the clock from there (goal: 30 minutes). Try techniques like "you read a page, I read a page" or just read to them.

Kids of all ages like being read to, and bonus- it's a great way to bond.

*note: struggling readers should have someone summarize what they just read. Many children get so focused on reading, that they don't comprehend the story.

Build a Literacy Rich Environment:

A literacy rich environment means more than just owning books.

You may visit book stores and libraries regularly, you might bring a book to a restaurant to read while you wait. A child regularly sees the adults in their lives reading. They excitedly read a book so they can compare it to the movie. They may have magazine subscriptions, book subscriptions like OK Ready, they may read ebooks and regular books. When they go to daycare or visit their grandparents, they are in on this too and may have story time together.

If a child doesn't see the adults in their lives reading, they will not see the importance of reading.

Looking to build a literacy rich environment in your home? OK Ready by Scholastic is a monthly subscription that delivers 3 books and activities each month for 3-5 year olds. Use this link for free 2 Day shipping every month. ​

Audiobooks and more:

Remember when you were a kid and you had cassette tape read alongs? Yes, that was reading!

Many people benefit from hearing and reading at the same time. It helps sustain attention, broadens vocabulary, and makes it more entertaining.

You can do this by buying narrated kindle books, playing a youtube video (no video- just play the sound!), using a Yoto player, or thrifting books on tape/cd.

Pro tip- ask your school librarian if they plan to discard any books on tape, many school are are filled with them.

Focus on 1 thing:

Reading is such a complicated skill, it can be really easy to correct everything your child does. But the most your child needs to be corrected or labors over sounding out a word, the less fun reading is. It's just like if someone kept interrupting you while you watch tv- at a certain point you'll stop paying attention.

Pick your battles, if your child can't read a word, encourage them to try again and then just tell them. If they read a word wrong, just summarize the paragraph with them to ensure they understood.

Look Deeper:

If your child is a reluctant reader, it could be a sign of something deeper. Check your bases by going to the eye doctor, talking with their pediatrician about your concerns, and sending an email to the teacher. Look for signs of learning differences like Dyslexia and ADHD. Even if your child is a strong reader, it may be exhausting for them. I love the site Understood.org for research.

What's New?

❤️‍🩹 Los Angeles: My heart bleeds for Angelenos. It's been so scary to see the strength and devastation from these fires. I lives in Southern California for a long time and went to college in Los Angeles. Fire is a part of living in CA, but I've never seen anything near the magnitude of these fires. Go Fund Me has an overall fundraiser for those impacted. And to any of my readers impacted, reach out to me and we can work together to support you.

🎥 Coming Up: Later this week I'll be releasing my vlog America's Most Hated Teacher. I'll be discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly that came from going viral in December. Subscribe to my YT to be the first to see it!

Things I Love

😵‍💫 Life Saver: I'm prone to motion sickness and always have a little dramamine in my bag. But the issue is, it's not safe to take if you are going to be driving, drinking, or just can't be drowsy the rest of the day. I LOVE dramamine's ginger pills. It's nondrowsy and homeopathic. I just ordered a 3 pack to keep in my car, purse, and suitcase.

🩷 Buy Nothing: I am obsessed with my local Buy Nothing group on Facebook. I have been cleaning out a lot of things and it's so satisfying to post them in the group. People are excited to get your item, and I know it didn't end up in a landfill. I've been trying to make small sustainable changes to my lifestyle and this is certainly a good one! Do you use Buy Nothing groups?

Be good to each other 💕