Reading after age nine

I tell my son that we are going to run some errands and he should grab something to read in the car.

"How far are we driving?" he asks. He wants to know the amount of time he'll have, so he can figure out what length of book to bring - chapter book, the next book in a series or a comic book.

I like that he has his own system for figuring out what book(s) to bring, and I like that we take advantage of this time for him to fit in a little more reading. This is something that we encourage at home as well - if you have some free time on your hands, grab a book.

So, of course, I really love all the tips on this link that encourage children to read - especially after age nine. Why age nine? Children at that age have so many activities to choose from at that age that reading often takes a back seat.

One of the tips on that link - to have a book club with your child - doesn't have to wait until they are a tween. My son likes handing me his books when he is done so that I can read them, too. And then we discuss them at dinner. It's fun to hear his thoughts about a book and what questions he has when the book covers a new topic. And, it's good for me to know what interests him in a story so I can help him find new ones.

My husband and I have ensured that our son sees us reading and how much we enjoy it. And there is nothing I love more than when he snuggles up next to me and we read on the couch together. I just have to keep up the encouragement so he continues to read for life.

What tips do you have to fit more reading time into your child's life? Tell me in the comments.