#2 is a book hater.
As a former English teacher, avid reader, and writer wannabe admitting this to myself and to you is difficult.
But because it fits into this story it must be done.
Besides, you can’t fix a problem if you don’t admit there is one, right?!
Right.
Anyway.
This has been an issue for us since the kid was like fresh outta the womb.
I mean, maybe not fresh-fresh, but like super little.
I would lay down with him and #1 to read at night and he would cry. And, by cry, I pretty much just mean scream.
So we started leaving him with Dumb Dad during reading time. No need for everyone’s bedtime ritual to be effed just because one mini human can’t stomach story time!
As he got into the super-fast-moving-toddler phase, he would just slap at the books or kick them from my hands or yell while I tried to read trot off during stories.
Now that #1 can read on his own (quite well I might add) he spends portions of each day (one hour in the afternoon during summer because Dumb Mom absolutely refuses to live without quiet time. #2 and #3 sleep, because at Casa de Dummies all children take naps or act like it right up until the very first day of kindergarten, while #1 does his summer reading) doing so.
Each night, Dumb Dad takes over and reads aloud to him (right now they are reading the Percy Jackson series).
He sooo looks forward to it each night.
But not #2.
While they read he will just slap at the book or kick it from his hands or yell while he tries to read (not really) beg for snacks or try to interrupt by being “funny”.
But not listen.
No, never that.
We haven’t forced it though.
We want him to enjoy reading, not feel punished when he has to do it.
Plus, he has a good point: he CAN’T READ DON’T YOU KNOW THAT!
A point he SCREAMS at me whenever I offer him a book I think he may be interested in.
As a boy who likes to do things for himself, the idea of not being able to read is frustrating to say the least.*
But recently things changed.
Something amazing happened!
National Geographic Kids sent him (well really me, but I told him they were for him) a set of very interesting books.**
When he initially encountered them he reacted the way I expected him to: “I don’t want no stinking books!”
But, as #1 got into them he started to come around.
So, when I turned on my Mommy-is-super-excited-and-you-should-be-too high pitched voice and crazy eyes, he decided they were “HIS!” and he wanted to go to his room to “WEAD DEM!” (and yes #2 likes to behave like a two year old at least three days per week).
So he did. And while he was in there the something amazing happened…
He feel in love!
I kid you not people.
He honestly has not stopped “reading” since he got that package in the mail.
Who ever thought Weird But True and NGK World Atlas could change a Dude’s life so dramatically?
It started off with just looking at all of the pictures- the books are jam packed with colorful, engaging photos of animals, and plants, and cars, and trucks, and all sorts of things Dudes would be excited by- asking me (or his brother) to look at them too.
Then he started asking me (or his brother) to tell him what the facts say- the books are also jam packed with random facts about all sorts of things Dudes would be excited by- so that he could memorize them and tell random strangers that, “people in Peru wear underwear if they’re wucky lucky.” Which is a loose interpretation of: “In Peru it’s considered good luck to wear yellow underwear on New Year’s Day,” a fact that actually appears in the book, Weird But True.
The great thing is that now he’s moved on a bit.
Each night he climbs into bed, just like #1, with a big ole stack of books to “wead”.
It’s a little bit amazing, you know?
How finding that one book (your hook book) can completely change things for you?
My life changer was a read aloud in fourth grade of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
I hated reading before I heard that book probably because Mimi used to send me to my room with a copy of Reader’s Digest and an edict that I needed to read a particularly boring old lady article and report back to her, but after wards I went on to read the whole series and, aside from a brief period in college in which free time was filled with booty shakin’ at the club, I haven’t stopped since.
Right now I’m reading Breaking Dawn (again, because I love it), Water for Elephants (because R.Patz will be starring in the movie version of it), and For One More Day by Mitch Albom (because I figure I should read something that R.Patz is in no way affiliated with, but I’m not sure why).
I’m a machine I tell you. A. Reading. Machine!
A machine who wants to give you a National Geographic Kids Prize pack (the two above AND The Big Book of Fun which we are saving for our vacation) to get your little person on the rockin’ book train too.
All you have to do to enter is:
1. Be a follower of pBd and tell me that the fact that my kid hates books and reading is not at all a negative reflection on me or my parenting skills and abilities.
2. Leave a comment telling me what your (or your kid’s) hook book was.
3. Do both by July 30, 2010 at midnight Eastern time.
That is all!***
Your favorite little person could soon be on the way to reading bliss, just like Kristina from One Boy, One Gil, One Blog is on the way to chocolate flavored mom bliss! That’s right Kristina, you won! Shoot me an email with all of your deets or fill out this form so you can get your chocolate flavored booty! parentingbydummies[at]gmail[dot]com
*Sure. I guess I could teach him myself, but I don’t think it’s necessary and I don’t want to do it.
**pBd Admits it’s Free Disclaimer: National Geographic Kids sent me the three aforementioned books to share with The Dudes and you. They did not give me any cold hard cash to do so, but I’d be a lie if I said I wouldn’t have taken it if they’d offered. My opinion can’t exactly be bought, but it can be paid for:). Don’t fret though, they NGK didn’t attempt to do either. Dude #2 fell in love with the books free of charge.
***That is all, in theory, but isn’t there ALWAYS something else? The fine print, if you will? In this case it is that you have to live in the great US of A to win this here giveaway. Not because we don’t love our international readers, just because we don’t love the butt load of cash it costs to ship things to our international readers.
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That’s awesome! My kids don’t really have a hook book, per se (can I say “per se” here?) but I do remember my son reading Magic Tree House books in 1st grade and me & Texan Papa, we were all like, “you aren’t reading them. Here, let us ask you some questions.” and damned if he didn’t know all the answers. I was like, Where did you learn how to read so well?
And of course, he answered: “From my gameboy and Pokemon cards.”
So, there you have it.
We did the same thing to #1. He was finishing books all fast and I was like, “Um, Dude, are you even reading those?” And he was like, “Um, yeah, Mom, duh?! Of course I’m reading them, why else would I be looking through them, they don’t even have pictures?” So I was all, “Well tell me what happens in it then, smarty pants.” And he was all, “Sure thing, it started off in an undiscovered realm when two travelers…” I stopped listening after that but pretty sure he was accurate.
Gretchen cracks me up. I came out loving books and the divas learned to love the library about the time they learned to walk. Sorry. MY favorite kids books are Friday Night At Hodges Cafe and The Bravest of Us All. Read the first one with a “back east” accent. The second is about being Brave about different things
Hmmm, never even heard of those. Gonna have to check ‘em out, don’t like there being kid books I’m unfamiliar with.
my favorite books are my kids books…the percy jackson series is one. i love that my son learned from them too!!
the lion, the witch and the wardrobe…LOVED
a wrinkle in time series
i could go on and on…but i won’t
you’re welcome.
xo
Okay, this is gonna blow your mind, but I haven’t read A Wrinkle in Time. Go ahead. Boo me. But, seriously, it never came up in school, then I like aged out of it, then Dumb Dad came along and was all you have to read this book, HAVE. To. Which meant I couldn’t because every book he’s ever recommended to me made me gag. Except Beloved and The Count of Monte Cristo. Those two were awesome.
It’s a magical day when you FINALLY find the books that will turn your kid into a reader! Of course neither of mine fell in love with the books I loved as a kid (Three Investigators Mysteries, Encylopedia Brown, and anything by John Christopher), but they’ve found their own favorites, and a book request is one I NEVER say no to (although the $100 I shelled out this past Christmas for the Percy Jackson box set made me come close).
Whaaa?! $100? We’ve purchased three of them so far since Dumb Dad is reading them and some nights can’t get to it. It’s slow going and #1 is so anxious to go through the whole series but that is like his thing with his Dad so they can only enjoy them if they do it together.
Both my kids came out loving books. Thank God! Because I love them too. Right now I’m reading The Help and I cant wait until I can actually get time to finish it.
You should also try the Usbourne books. They have lots of books designed for interaction. The only catch is that you have to find a rep. I have a friend that sells them.
I am familiar with Usbourne books and I think one of #2′s classmates moms sales them. Should check on that. I’m still on the fence about #3, he goes through book loving phases. Some times he loves to throw books. Sometimes he loves to eat books. And, sometimes he loves to read books. He’s into like Backyardigans, Dora, and Diego right now so glad we have like 75 books about those things thanks to one of those book clubs Mimi signed us up for years ago that we could never figure out how to get out of!
I don’t remember what my hook book was but I do keep reading Anne of Green Gables over and over. Man I love that book.
The little guys are too young for books but my big girl LOVED being read Charlotte’s Web. I think we lived that book for at least a year.
#2 was just asking me about that book because we have the one that has the Dakota Fanning cover from the movie. He was interested b/c he noticed that it looked like the movie. He decided he’d just watch the movie again instead of listening to me read the book because that would take, “Forever”.
My son is a hater too… so maybe if he wins this will be his hook book too! My daughter is almost 2, but she loves Pinkalicious and Freckleface Strawberry. For me? My hook book was in third grade when our teacher read The Boxcar Children to us and I had to read more of them!
Loved Boxcar Children too. Remember going to the library for those.
For me it was Are you my Mother? by P.D. Eastman and Little Man hooked on any and all truck books. If there is a truck in it, he wants to read it.
oh and of course I’m a follower.
We went through a truck phase with #2 (he liked My Truck is Stuck and a garbage truck one I can’t remember the name of), but when that wore off it was back to book hating with passion.
Hayden is not really interested in books or reading, especially when the DS is so close to him. Maybe these books would be magic for him too.
Oh and I am a follower.
We have reading time in the day and at night. They are both optional. In the daytime you can read or nap, only two choices. At night, you can listen to the story, chose one of your own, or go straight to bed. His gripe would mostly be at night (during the day he’d actually just chose to nap he hated to read that much). He’d complain because he didn’t want to listen to the chosen book, but he also “CAN’T WEAD WIKE I KEEP TEWING YOU!” Until he got his cool new books he’d just opt to try to ruin the story for everyone else which was SOOO not an option. Made bedtime a little chaotic around the Casa.
I have yet to find the book hook for my kids.
You don’t have to enter my name into the contest as I have no children. While my dog is a voracious lover of books, she tends to eat them more than read then- mainly because I think she’s frustrated that the reading thing hasn’t come as easily to her as multiplication.
I can’t remember what my first book was, although I think I might have come out of the womb clutching a book. It was probably War and Peace- you know, because I’m so intellectual and stuff.
I’ve been meaning to write a post on books- inspiration!
Not often a non-mom reads my blog so love it that you stopped by. And, War and Peace, eh? Haven’t cued that one up in my reading list yet. Think I’m waiting for Vampire Academy at the moment:)
I’m so glad that your son has become hooked on books, or at least the ones by National Geographic Kids. Finding enjoyment in reading is such a gift!
My two sons love reading but my 7 year old daughter is really struggling. She can read, slowly and painstakingly and under great duress. I don’t know why it is so difficult for her. Right now she & I are reading “Because of Winn-Dixie” together. She will listen to me read forever, but she throws a fit whenever it’s her turn. I love reading (I read the Twilight series, too), and her struggle is a huge concern to me. I want her to love reading as much as I do!
Well, being interested in books read aloud is a really important element too. Winn-Dixie is probably way to difficult for her anyway so she is likely to feel frustrated (when I taught 4th grade it was marked for their level and we did book club with it). Maybe consider selecting a book you ONLY read aloud to her so there is not fear of her turn coming up, and then pick a different book (possibly one that you know will be easy) for her to read aloud to you when it’s her turn. And, there are some books that look like they are big kid books, but the words inside are marked for a lower grade level. We used to use them all the time when I taught 8th grade reading because the kids hated reading “baby books”. Just some suggestions from a former English teacher who misses it every now and again!
I had issues with #3 and reading for awhile too- he’s 11 now. What got him hooked was a fact book like that on bugs that he got from the elementary school library. He did the same thing with the memorizing of the facts… and the next week checked out one with facts on dinosaurs. He still doesn’t like to read the stuff he’s supposed to read for school, but at least he’s reading on grade level now
Dudes are in to fact books. Better than nothing I think. We used to get into trouble when I was teaching 8th grade for letting the boys read magazines. My argument was that at least they are reading something. Before we snuck in the mags they were getting into trouble because they hated the books. By the end of the year, some of my boys had moved on to books (some of which were recommended in the magazines they were reading) and were actually looking forward to reading time because they’d started to realize, through magazines, that reading can be enjoyable.
I don’t know if my daughter has found “the one” yet… but she loved “The Princess and the Pea”. We found a version at the library where the illustrator used miniatures (furniture and dishes and stuff) and shot a picture for each “scene” (the people are drawings but it’s very cool). I haven’t found any other book that held her interest as well, yet.
My little one is only 15 months but she’s ALWAYS loved books. So her first book was one of the taggies and we love the Gossie and Friends series. Her current fascination is “I love you, Stinky Face”
I am a follower and when I was kid I got hooked on goosebump books. My daughter is just starting to learn how to read but so far she likes it.
I am a follower of you blog. Thanks for the giveaway.
My son’s book that got him addicted to books was a LEGO book, he hated to read, but loved to be read to, but his passion of Lego’s changed that.
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