If you’re tearing your hair out because you have a child that is unwilling to read, this article may be just what you need.

Anyone who can read, knows the joy of getting lost in a ripping yarn. And there are so many life advantages in being able to read and write well.

As technology develops, attention spans become shorter, and it seems not many have the patience to sit down and read a book, let alone write one of their own.

As with many things, starting young when the mind is a sponge, is the best time to get hooked on a reading habit. But it’s not always easy to get started.

At their bedtimes, I read to both my son and my daughter. My daughter latched onto it pretty quickly, and at the age of 9 was already tucking into challenging books that were way beyond her years.

She was reading books by Richard Adams, like Watership Down and The Plague Dogs. These are definitely not easy reads for a 9-year-old.

My son’s reading journey on the other hand was a different story altogether. He liked being read to, but wasn’t inclined to pick up a book and do it himself.

I like a challenge! So I set out to find a way forward.

I spent many hours in bookshops, leafing through the pages, trying to find a book or two that might spark his interest.

At his bedtime, I made an issue out of each reading session. I’d have him sitting up in bed with a pile of pillows behind him, and a light shining directly on the book he was holding.

He would often say something like “I’ve read a page and a half, is that enough?” It was clear this was going nowhere fast.

However, I persevered. More books, and yet more books. I felt sure there must be a book somewhere that would engage his mind, so I persevered.

The pile of rejected books was growing, until one day everything changed.

I put a book in front of him as he sat in bed and left the room. I came back 20 minutes or so later and asked him how he was getting on.

No answer!

I asked whether he was enjoying the book.

Again no answer!

Eureka! I had stumbled across the magic book. He was so wrapped up in the story, he wouldn’t put it down, and completely ignored anything I said to him.

The book was “The Butterfly Lion” by Michael Morpurgo, and my son read it right through to the end.

The next day, I rushed out and bought the Michael Morpurgo Collection box set, and the reading feast began! My son turned into an unstoppable train. He then dashed through whole series of fantasy and adventure books. Job done!.

Here’s your takeaway…

As the saying goes, you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. It’s exactly the same with a child and a book.

Your best weapon is patients. You need to be utterly determined. Come what may, you’re not going to give up. So you persevere, always with a smile (even if you feel like screaming!)

I wish you joy, and always keep in your mind, somewhere out there is a book or a comic, that will magically transform your disinterested child into an avid reader.

Good luck!

Simon Bailey

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