Seven Habits Series – Habit #4
Hello, this is Brian from Childrensbookstore.com. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve entered a “Seven Habits of Highly Literate Kids” post, so my apologies. I was busy blogging about a cuddly, little sperm named Willy (see my last post).
Anyway, children’s reading habit #4 is to monitor reading with a reading log. When it comes to reading and developing a habit, it’s all about consistency. Habits are not created overnight, so it’s logical to track your child’s success as they cultivate reading habits that will eventually become second nature to them.
My daughter is in Kindergarden, so her teacher created a reading log for her to follow. She reads with one of us for 20 minutes each evening before bed time, then we check off the box on her reading log. Emily is five and so she’s totally enamored with the Fancy Nancy Book Series, so it’s not much of a challenge to get her 20 minutes in each night.
If your school doesn’t use a reading log, you can make your own pretty easily and make it a fun, custom reading log with the help of your children. You can also google “children’s reading chart” and pull up a ton of charts that you can print out. Have your child record the date, title and minuts read each day, so that they can see their own progress (which is your cue to say “Great job! You’re such an awesome reader!”). Post the reading log somewhere visible – like on the fridge – where your child can easily admire their handiwork. Of course, there’s no better way to ensure victory than to offer a sweet treat, extra Wii time or a fun prize upon filling their reading log…remember, keep it fun!
Enjoy.
Brian