Bookstaken pairs kids with caring mentors who turn reading into engaging conversations, inspiring them to eventually write their own stories.
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"Read two chapters and you can have the tablet." "No going out until your reading log is done." Most parents have tried both, because they work, for that evening.
Over months they tend to backfire. A child who reads for a prize learns that reading is the price of the prize, and stops when the prize does. Here is what works better.
In short
Rewards and pressure work today and backfire later. They teach children that reading is something to get through.
Children want to read when three things are in place: some choice, books they can manage, and someone to share them with.
Stop the quizzes, timers and threats at home, even if school uses them.
If reading has become a fight, call a short truce, then restart with a book they picked.
If you do reward reading, reward it with books or time together, not screens.
Why bribes and pressure backfire
In a review of 128 experiments, rewards that people had to earn by doing an activity usually made them less interested in doing it again on their own afterwards (Deci, Koestner & Ryan, Psychological Bulletin, 1999). The reward becomes the reason, and when it stops, so does the activity.
Pressure works the same way from the other side. When reading is the thing standing between a child and the tablet, the tablet is the prize and the book is the obstacle. They may sit with the book until the timer goes off, but they're waiting, not reading.
What makes children want to read
Choice
Children read more when they choose what to read. Let them pick comics, joke books, football annuals or the fourteenth book in a series. Where there has to be a rule, offer choices inside it: "This book or that one? On the sofa or in bed?"
Books they can manage
Nobody enjoys something that makes them feel stuck. Keep books they read alone at a comfortable level, and read harder, more exciting ones aloud. Rereading favourites counts. Praise what they actually did: "You kept going through that tricky chapter."
Someone to share it with
Reading is often treated as something to do alone, in silence. Most children are drawn in by company: reading together, a family reading time where everyone has a book, or a cousin who swaps recommendations. Talk about books the way you'd talk about a film, with your own opinion, not a quiz.
Someone outside the family can help too: a grandparent, an older cousin, or a mentor. Talking books through with a college mentor is what our 1:1 online reading classes are built around.
What to stop doing
Quizzing after every chapter. "What happened?" turns a story into a test. Ask what they thought instead.
Timers and logs at home. If school needs minutes logged, let them read what they like and sign it honestly.
Using screens as the prize for reading. It sets the two up as rivals, and the screen wins.
Taking away bedtime reading as a punishment. Keep it as the part of the day that always happens.
Making them finish books they dislike. Let them move on and choose again.
Comparing them with a sibling or a classmate who reads more.
If reading has become a battle
Call a truce. For one or two weeks, there is no required reading at home: no timers, no logs, no arguments. Keep reading aloud at bedtime, and leave interesting books where they'll find them, like on the table, in the car or by the sofa.
Then restart small: ten minutes, a book they picked, at a time that suits them, with you nearby. Build from there.
Is any reward okay?
Some rewards do less harm than others. In one study, children who were rewarded with a book went on to read more than children who were rewarded with a token (Marinak & Gambrell, 2008). Rewards tied to reading itself, like a trip to the bookshop, a new book in a series they love or an extra chapter at bedtime, keep the focus on books. Praise for effort helps too.
Frequently asked questions
Should I take away screens until my child reads?
It usually backfires, because it makes reading the obstacle and the screen the prize. A calm "reading first, then screens" routine, the same every day, works better than a threat.
Do sticker charts and reading challenges work?
They can get children reading in the short term, but the interest often fades when the stickers stop. If you use one, make the prize a book or time together, and phase it out.
What do I say instead of "Go and read"?
Try an invitation: "I'm reading for ten minutes. Want to bring your book?" Or start a story they can't resist: "There's a twist in this one I think you'll guess."
How long until my child reads on their own?
It varies. Many children need a few weeks of relaxed reading before they reach for a book unprompted, and the turning point is often one book they love. Keep reading aloud in the meantime.
My child refuses to read anything. Where do I start?
Start with stories, not reading: audiobooks, read-alouds and books about their favourite thing. If they also find the words hard, talk to their teacher, because a reading difficulty needs support, not motivation.
Is it okay to read aloud to a child who can read?
Yes. Most children can follow harder stories by ear than they can read alone, and hearing good ones keeps them wanting more.
