8 Year Old Doesn't Want to Read!

I have an 8 year old boy who always tells me "Reading just isnt my thing!" To which I tell him, reading is EVERYONE's thing! Here are a few things we have done in the past 6 months to incourage more reading. We go to the library weekly. They first do their homeowrk, then they get free choice. They can pick out a book, movie or play on the computer. Isnt reading? So what. The exposure is a good example anyway. Then we found the library has kids programs. We signed up for a few. A woman reads a book to them, they do a craft, play a game...he LOVES it! He took one class on the Exoforce Robots and borrowed 4 books of the same series that day and had them all read in a week! We also got him a subscription to his favorite comic book (spidey) and he also enjoys the fact he gets mail. Who cares if its comics...he's enjoying reading, right? Sometimes we will do a treasure hunt. He LOVES this. I get post-it notes and write up clues. Its a simple reading activity, but he gets all riled up and excited going from one clue to the next. Especially if I don't tell him were going to do it. I'll just leave a note in his room saying "Ready for a treasure hunt? Ask Mom for your first clue!" He comes out squealing and giggling. Its cute! Another thing we do is put on his favorite show and mute it with closed captioning. Then we read it together and try to do the voices. This way, he still gets to do his favorite thing (that blasted TV!) but has to read to do it. We have fun! Hope some of these ideas peak an interest in him. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi C..

I'm am blessed with several girls that love to read but my neighbor's boy at age 8 hated to read, too. For his birthday I purchased a set of Captain Underpants books and his mom said the change in him was unbelievable. He loved the books and now two years later he is a much more confident and happy reader. I think you need to be a little creative in what you give you son to read...I like the magazine idea. My girls get so excited when their Nick magazine arrives (it's great by-the-way), maybe try Sports Illustrated for Kids if he is into sports or National Geographic for Kids if he is into nature. Good luck!

Hope this helps,

K.

1 mom found this helpful

C.,

This is a tough one. My 8 year old used to love to read and now he fights it. I think he is just so tired when he comes home from school that reading is the last thing he wants to do. 8 year old boys are very active critters. Your son might never enjoy reading for pleasure. There are lots of adults who don't enjoy reading (and then there are those of us who would love to have the time to sit down and read!). I am extremely pro-reading, but I have to say that it really is something that can't be forced. My 15 year old doesn't read well so he won't read for pleasure, my husband never reads for pleasure, and it breaks my heart to see them missing out on great reads. I just try to remember that we are all different. The most important thing is that your son can read when he needs to. If he is having trouble reading on grade level I would definitely be more concerned, but reading isn't everyone's hobby any more than every boy wants to play football (my 8 year old sure doesn't). But never give up on him, he just might come around!

D.

1 mom found this helpful

I didn't like reading until I was in the 3rd grade. What changed was a teacher started the "Wind in the Door" by Madeleine L'Engle. She didn't finish the book. I had to know how the story ended. My mother went to 3 book stores to find me a copy.

By the time I was in the 6th grade the school librarian was asking me what books to buy because I was there every day. I was on a book a day habit.

What is your son really really into? I'm talking nuts about. Get a good book on that subject, something a little above his age level maybe. Read the book aloud. See if he gets hooked. Then slow down, then see if he starts to ask for it or picks it up on his own.

I never wanted to read until the story stopped, everything before that was boring.

I used to teach older children to read and the first thing we did was write stories together this grew as time went on and I focused on illistrating and the child focused on the writing they loved reading the finished products over and over. also over time we got to know each other better and it was easier to get a better give and take because of the relationship we built together. Tam

Your excitement about reading can be the best thing to motivate your son.

My son was a late reader. I am an avid reader, so I was worrying a lot when he was around 8yrs old, especially when his friends could read and it started affecting his self-esteem ("How come they can all read and I can't?"). I did lots of phonics activities with him (we homeschool) which he grunbled a lot about, but I pressed on anyway. I continued to read to him constantly, and then as another person suggested, I slipped away when I needed to do some other things. My son couldn't stand being left "hanging" so little by little he continued on reading when I left. He would also see me reading on my own, so he would know it was something grownups did, not just something grownups told kids to go do.

Now 2 years later, my son is an avid reader. He's read through all of the Lord of the Rings, all of the Harry Potter books, all of the Edge Chronicles, and now we're working our way through books by Lloyd Alexander (just finished his series of Taran books). He has loved reading anything about Star Wars (especially the Star Wars Visual Dictionary). He also loved Madeline L'Engle.

I still read to him at bedtime, and he takes along a book when we go somewhere in the car. On the weekend I often don't see him for hours at a time, he'll be curled up with a book. He still asks me to read to him now and then, and I eagerly oblige! (Sometimes when I leave his room after bedtime reading, he'll see me grab our "bedtime book" on the way out so I can continue reading!)

I think what's also helped is finding books of interest to him. He likes science fiction, time travel, space, etc. He loves exploring the library (we frequent 3 different ones). Unless there's something truly objectionable, I let him take home whatever he likes.

Hope some of this helps, good luck!

My son is almost 8 and we are/were in the same boat. I recently tried something and it has worked wonders. We went to the library and picked out a chapter book (we chose Geronimo Stilton) It's fast paced and really exciting. We pick a special snack and snuggle up under the covers. I begin reading and totally getting into it (doing different voices and building up suspense etc)After the 2nd or 3rd chapter (they are short chapters) I then stop and casually slip in that he needs to take over reading so I can take a sip or two or three.....of my drink. He picks up reading and I continue with the same excitement that he showed me while I was reading. When he finishes the chapter I tell him how far we have gotten into the book and he is shocked. Better yet, he wants me to continue and then I switch over to him again. It completely takes his mind off of watching TV or playing his video game. He can't stop talking about the book and looks forward to reading again the next night. He still isn't hooked on reading but he likes it more this way and understands now that reading is an adventure and he doesn't "hate" it anymore. Good luck!

Your son sounds a lot like me when I was his age. I hated reading and found every excuse not to. I especially hated to read in school when I was told what I had to read. My son is 7 and he loves to read. e is hooked on the Magic Tree House books by Will & Mary Pope Osborne. They are chapter books about all different historical places and events. Not only is my son reading the story, but he is also picking up facts. We purchased them at Barnes & Noble and they have them at our local Library. They also have a website. I have never visited it, but it might have more info about the books. www.randomhouse.com/magictreehouse Gook Luck!!
C.

Hi C.,

How about some interactive books? Fisher Price has an interactive book pad, Leap Frog has the Leap Pad. Perhaps he doesn't want to do the reading and would enjoy following along instead. There are also audio books. Tell him he will get one of theseifhe reeadsone first. Give iit a try. Good Luck!

My son is 7 and he gives me such a hard time with his reading/ writing assignments for school! I have also used the bribing technique. Now he is VERY spoiled!! Grandma also input on the spoiling.
I think we just need to keep preaching to them about how important it is for life to read, getting a good job, house, life, money for things, ect.
Good luck, I feel your pain!!!

Hi C.-
I am new to Mamasource and am just now seeing your request.
I wanted to let you know that I have been a school librarian for 16 years. I spent the first 4 years in an elementary school and the last 14 in a middle school.
Last spring, I (along with a teaching colleague) started an online book recommendation site for kids. The original concept was to target reluctant readers but we ended up expanding it to reach all types of readers. If you read our About Us page, you'll see that my partner and I were both very reluctant readers!!
The site offers lists for all age/grade levels and we have just added a section for adults.
I really hope you and your son find this helpful and would love to know what you think.
-L.

Oh how I feel your pain!!!! I am an avid reader - was reading when I was 5 and never put down a book! My 12 y/o son just doesn't see the point! 'gulp' How is that even possible?? :) He is my first child and at the time I was enrolled in book clubs and I bought him piles of books. However, all that was for nothing (expect now my 3 y/o daughter is crazy about books, so at least i've got piles for her to read!). He says that there's no point in reading about something that didn't happen, therefore there's no point to fiction. He enjoys reading facts and figures though, and maps and things that are relevant in his mind. It hurts me to see all the great reading that he is willfully missing. He has to do outside reading for school and does that, but it's pulling teeth to get him to go one minute beyond the required 20 minutes a day. So I hate to tell you, but i think getting your son to actually want to read is next to impossible. You could maybe try reading out loud to or with him with a really great book that would spark his interest. My sister wasn't a great reader when we were younger and I ended up reading many books outloud to her, and that was when I was around 13 and she was 9. She did become a better reader. Good luck, but don't let it get to you. Some kids are just not interested. They find other interests (which hopefully doesn't involve sitting in front of the computer for hours on end!!!...yes, I have experience with that too!) ;)

C.,
I know this can be frustrating.I have 4 little people of my own (18,15,13,9)and their reading intrest is different.
I would suggest purchasing magazines that may be of intrest
to him.Whatever he shows intrest in ,get books about that.Have him read the ceral boxes,current topics of intrest in the newspaper and maybe you can write him letters or small stories.He may like that.You also may want to look into audio books and have him listen to them dureing his down time or before bed.Whatever you do....do not give up and make sure you always let him catch you reading something of intrest to you.

I have 4 kids who were read to all the time when they were younger. They can all read well but only 2 read for recreation. I'd say don't waste you money buying books or bribing your son to do something he doesn't enjoy. Maybe you could change his bedtime to 15-20 minutes later if he spends that time reading. The more you push kids the less likely they are to do what you want.