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“We just don’t like to read as much as you do, Mom.”

I’ve heard this several times (even recently) from both of my sons, particularly my youngest.  However, I know differently, and I’m thankful this statement isn’t true.

Both of my sons blow away everyone at school on their AR points — it’s not even close.  They are more well-read than I was at their age.  They know more about history.  They know more about science.  Over the years they have read and/or listened to (and I know I’ll miss some important ones):

• the complete Chronicles of Narnia
• at least 5 or 6 Redwall titles
• the complete Harry Potter series
• the complete Chronicles of Prydain
• the complete Artemis Fowl series
• the complete Dark Is Rising series
• the Bartimaeus trilogy
• the Eragon trilogy
• the Inkheart trilogy
• several Newberys (more than I have read)
• all of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (2 more than their mother)
• and numerous other titles

So, I’ve often wondered, ‘Why do they say they’re not readers?’  The only reason I can come up with is that it’s ‘uncool’ nowadays to be a reader — especially for boys.  They have plenty of other hobbies.  One of my sons is into sports and both of them enjoy video games.  We’re into sci-fi tv and movies as a family.  But, they don’t want to admit that they’re readers.  No matter.  I know the truth, and I consider reading to be one of the best values we’ve instilled into our children.  As far as I know, there is no magical formula to turn kids into readers.  And though it won’t be practical for most, the following is what we did to help that goal along.

When we made the decision to homeschool, I also made the decision to try to turn my sons onto reading.  They had always enjoyed my husband or I reading to them, but they hadn’t really picked up the habit on their own.  So, I ‘encouraged’ (forced) them to read for 1.5 hours per day.  Sound unreasonable?  Not really.  One half hour was for reading fiction, another half hour for history written in a fictional style (thank you H.A. Guerber and Christine Miller), and another half hour was for reading about science (thank you Jeannie Fulbright).  It wasn’t all at once, unless they preferred it, and oftentimes they would extend the time of one or all sessions by their own choosing.

We don’t homeschool anymore (though I am wistful of those precious days), and my kids go to public school now, but despite what they say, they ARE readers, even if it’s uncool to admit it.  And I’m thankful.  So thankful.