How do you "make" an 8 y/o boy want to read?

[Disneyglobegirl]

My DD 9 loves to read but DS 11 does not - but he has gotten better - We have a evening rule that we follow. The have to shut off the TV, have teeth brushed and be in bed by 8 however they do not have to go to sleep at 8 - I allow then to stay up til 8:30 sometimes 9 but they have to read during this time. DS fought it at first but liked being able to stay up so he started reading. It is quite nice because the reading also relaxes them to get to sleep easier when lights go out.

He really likes National Geographic for Kids and will read that over a book anytime but he is getting better with the books. He likes Harry Potter and Lemony Snickets and right now he is reading Narnia.

 

[Planogirl]

My son doesn't have a set time to stop reading either. He never needed much sleep (not even as a baby much to my sorrow) so I let him just read until whenever. He almost always falls asleep at a decent time unless he's having trouble sleeping.

 

[TurboKitty]

Tried many, many books with my son when he was in 3rd grade. Had some success with Spy Cat, but we found he enjoyed non-fiction more than the chapter books.

Check at the library to see if they have a copy of "The Encyclopedia Of Everything Nasty". My son was unable to put that one down, and learned all kinds of disgusting bits of information.

 

[dismom9761]

My oldest son is 10 and at 8 we had the same problem.I started letting him stay up later as long as he was reading.He discovered the Magic Treehouse books and has really come to love reading.He also used to like Matt Christopher and the Baily Kids books.Now he is into Harry Potter.

My DS8-well I have tried everything and nothing works.I completely understand the tantrums,etc.He doesn't read as well as he should at this age and gets very frustrated.He also takes the AR tests and so far only has passed a few.Thank goodness it does not count toward his grade.We read together and take turns.

 

[Buckalew11]

Well, from my exoerience, I agree with RadioNate.

I hated reading. I have 2 sisters who loved it. Not me, no way.

About 2 years ago, (I'm 40), I had a client (I cut her hair) who just couldn't understand the "hate reading" and as a retired teacher, she was determined to discover why someone would hate reading as much as I did.

Turns out that poor comprehension was my problem. I could and can read anything. But what did I just read? Who knew?! Certainly not me. I have gone through tutoring with her and have been shocked that I did indeed have a problem and it ruined reading for me.

I now love to read. I am like a reformed smoker! LOL Reading is a gift that we are blessed with in this life and there are so many wonderful books out there to help us through our journey.

There are many different types of reading problems that people have. Mine is the most overlooked and common problem among people who can read!
I hope you can figure your son's trouble out. loving to read will change that child's life and education!

 

[wantanewjob]

Victoria Secret catalog perhaps?

 

[allie&mattsmom]

You'll get more flies with honey than vinegar. While he *should* read because (1) it's a rule at school and (2) you asked him to, some kids are just not as complient as others. My DD is one of them and is a very stubborn child.

How many books does he have to read to get the minimum number of credits? Does he have to read a chapter every single night? You don't want to squash any interest in reading by forcing him to do it. What about rewards? What does he really like? Video games? Divide up the number of books he needs to read and have a reward for a certain number of exam he passes. Put a chart up so he can follow along and anticipate.

Sorry robinb, I missed your questions. He has to earn about 15 points each semester. Tests are taken once a week and he "could" take up to three tests per week. He hasn't taken a test in ages. It's up to him to tell the teacher he wants to take a test and he never tells her because he never wants to take one. He didn't get his 15 points in the first semester. The book he's reading now is worth 3 points and it's 12 chapters (126 pages). I don't see how any 8 year old could take three tests per week if they are reading books with 12 chapters in them. I'm not with him when he picks his book out but I'm thinking he needs to pick shorter books because these long ones just don't hold his interest. And you are so right, I definitely don't want to make him dislike reading even more than he does by forcing him but since he has to have so many points, it puts me in a tough spot. And we've tried the rewards. Believe me, we're all about rewards with Matthew, we use the reward system with him if he has a good week at school. He's a bit impulsive and has a hard time not having "too" much fun with his buddies in class, that's a whole other story. Your chart idea is a great one. Thanks for the idea!

 

[In a hurry]

Someone suggested non-fiction. My nephew hated reading until he became interested in survival stuff. It started when his mom read them all "My Side of the Mountain." That sent him looking for information. He is now 22, graduating from college, and still reads technical manuals and non-fiction with a passion. That was just the way his brain was wired!

 

[ItsonlyExperiment626]

Do you time to sit and read the book with him? You could make it a special time for just you and your son. He could read you a chapter and you could read him a chapter. Afterwards discuss what happened in those chapters and ask him what he thinks will happen in the next chapters. My 8 yr old doesn't like to read either, but he loves it when we sit and do it together.

 

[damo]

My son wouldn't read when he was little either although my daughter couldn't get enough of it.

So, I read to him. Sometimes we alternated reading pages. He is now a very avid reader.

I remember reading Where the Red Fern Grows with him. We were both crying at the end passing the book back and forth to each other because we were too sad to read. There are lot of good bonding moments when you read together.

A really good older series but not well-known is the Cricket in Times Square series. They are great for boys as well as girls and great for reading aloud.

 

[PlutoPony]

Ok, I'm not a fan of the AR program (nor are many reading teachers come to find out)... many of the questions are very, very picky and "force" children to read for specific details not general content, which in turn may actually discourage some kids from reading AR books. You might want to get him to tackle shorter A/R books, just at or slightly below his reading level, and take the tests. Once he's had some successes he might be more willing to go onto books that get him more points. Your son sounds very much like mine -just this week for the first time he picked up a book and couldn't put it down, finishing it in record time (Series of Unfortunate Events). That was a true milestone! He just turned 11, and fortunately is a very good reader just won't do it unless absolutely forced to. The reading teacher at school has told me for years not to worry about it, that one year he would decide he liked to read and that would be it so don't give up hope . In general we've had the most success with Matt Christopher and non fiction books.
Good luck - I know what you're going thru!

 

[frndshpcptn]

I also reccommed making sure there isn't an underlaying problem. My sister hated reading when we were younger and it drove my parents crazy. It turns out she had an undiagnosed learning disorder that made it hard for her to understand what she was reading about. None of us had any idea - I think because we were all such avid readers ourselves we couldn't understand her trouble. It took her until High School to get diagnosed and it made a HUGE difference in her reading.

She is now a teacher and reads for fun!

 

[asta]

You might want to try any of the books by Louis Sachar about Sideway School (or it may be wayside school, I'm having trouble remembering the exact titles). There are three or four of these books. This author also wrote Holes but these books are a little easier to read. They are actually a group of funny stories about a strange school. Each chapter is fairly short and I found that they are great for a young reader. They can feel a real sense of accomplishment as they complete each chapter. These books are also AR books, I can't remember the level.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

I also reccommed making sure there isn't an underlaying problem. My sister hated reading when we were younger and it drove my parents crazy. It turns out she had an undiagnosed learning disorder that made it hard for her to understand what she was reading about. None of us had any idea - I think because we were all such avid readers ourselves we couldn't understand her trouble. It took her until High School to get diagnosed and it made a HUGE difference in her reading.

She is now a teacher and reads for fun!

Hi all. OP here. Okay, after school today I was asking Matthew if his eyes bother him or if anything bothers him when he's reading, he said no to the eyes but said that sometimes he keeps reading the same sentence over & over again. I could see how he would get frustrated with that. Do you think this is just because he isn't interested in the book or could it be something more serious possibly? Also, he always likes to read out loud, he doesn't like to read quietly in his head. BTW, his grades have always been very good and he did above average on his standardized testing this year.

 

[Janet Hill]

My daughter hated to read and still does. She too said all she ever did was read the same sentence over and over. I really don't think she had a problem other than disinterest. She always scored high on standardized tests (including reading comprehension), so she could do it when she had to.

She majored in math in college, because she didn't want to read or write papers.

It really angers me that we now accept that kids aren't good at or hate math, but it's not acceptable to dislike reading. My daughter would have gladly done extra work in math to stay away from a reading list.

 

[disneymom3]

Don't know what to tell you about the reading issues question.

I just wanted to suggest a few books. First off, everything I have read about encouraging good readers and getting kids to read says to let them read lots and lots that is technically below their tested reading level. For instance, DD tests at an 11th grade reading and spelling level, but she is upstairs reading Ramona Quimby right now. She loves that book! And hey, she is 9 so she can't be reading books written for high school juniors anyway.

I don't know what this AR thing is and maybe you have a specific list you have to choose from, but I would suggest the Magic Treehouse series or the Time Warp Trio. Especially the Time Warp Trio for an 8 yo boy. Those boys in that series are quite funny and kind of brattty, but in a fun way. The A to Z Mysteries are also great for boys that age who are not too into reading. They will be a more manageable length for him to read. Seriously, the Magic Treehouse and A to Z Mysteries take me about 45 min to an hour to read outloud to my kids. And I have to say I cannot believe he only gets 3 pts for a 12 chapter book! That is not much motivation!

I also hate tests for reading that test on minute little details. To me it is so much more beneficial and educational to have a child write a small little book report to summarize their favorite parts of the book than to worry about what color Henry's bike was or whatever. Who cares if you remember that part as long as you get the basic gist of the book and can follow the story line.

The other suggestion I have for you is to make sure that your family as a whole is placing value on reading. Maybe you could make an outing of going to the library every two weeks or something and then going out for ice cream and talking about why you chose the books you did. Perhaps, if you help DS he can make better choices for more successful reading. One of the things that is a big treat for my kids is we go to the bookstore just every few months adn everyone gets to pick out their own book. Then we go to the cafe and get a cookie and/or a drink and we read the books they have gotten. In fact, that is what DD asked for for her bday--to go to Borders and shop and then get a "coffee" Of course, we are clearly nerds around here!!

 

[mbw12]

So glad that i found this thread!!! another parent of an 8 year old boy that does not like to read....the tantrums are almost a daily occurence at our house.

I like the tip about alternating reading the pages between the two of us....in fact when my son gets home from wreslting practice tonite, I think I am going to try that with him!!!!!!

 

[Buckalew11]

Hi all. OP here. Okay, after school today I was asking Matthew if his eyes bother him or if anything bothers him when he's reading, he said no to the eyes but said that sometimes he keeps reading the same sentence over & over again. I could see how he would get frustrated with that. Do you think this is just because he isn't interested in the book or could it be something more serious possibly? Also, he always likes to read out loud, he doesn't like to read quietly in his head. BTW, his grades have always been very good and he did above average on his standardized testing this year.

Well, he sounds just like me! For me, I read words--NOT sentences. A thought rarely flowed from a sentences. Just words. Individual words not coming together to make a thought or present an idea or whatever. Very frustrating. Reading comp was always my lowest score on standardized tests. Not only did being timed freak me out but I'd focus on the wrong thing. I might ffocus on a minute detail that didn't even matter. Things like " Give the story a title" or "Tell the main idea" threw me for a loop.
I'm gonna go look and see if i can find something on line for you to learn more.

Oh! And the reading aloud instead of in your head is also "me". For me, it is almost like an ADHD issue. Too many other thoughts going on in my head to hear the words of this story that would just be words and not coming together to make a thought or idea. Reading aloud is still my preference but I am getting better as I practice what I have learned. And if I was read to, I could remember the story quite easily and answer questions about the story.(I love book on tape for this reason!)

I believe if you could help whatver the *problem* is now, it would benefit him in so many other subjects other than just reading and English. Math, History and Science will all be easier IMHO.

 

[shortbun]

Captain Underpants, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Goosebumps....all the cool things to read. Don't push the chapters just yet, just get him reading. the chapters will come. Used incentives....something he reeeeeeeeeeeealllly wants. In the meantime- the easy stuff and the fun stuff should be what he is reading. I've watched the excellent reading teachers at our school entice children to read; they focus on what is "just right" for the reader. Nothing too hard, fun and interesting. We have had a 96% or better pass rate on the proficiency reading test since my son has been there. Believe me, many of the children struggle with liking to read. Good luck!

 

[Niagara2]

We struggle with this at our house too. DS 10 hates reading. He has been in remedial reading for years. He can read words but does not comprehend the thoughts. He is a wiz at math but the word problems are usually wrong. Where do you get help on comprehension. I have tried tutors etc and we ar in private school so special programing is not available. Help!