Getting a teen interested in reading

[prince13]

Dh's daughter who is 14 has no interest whatsoever in reading at all unless it is assigned for school, and then she will but under must protest.  We have tried lots of things to spark an interest, but with no success.

She will be here in a few weeks for the summer. Does anyone have any ideas for us on how to get her to read. Her father, and I as the step-mom feel that if she doesn't read that this will potentially be problematic for her in high school and down the road in college as the required amount of reading increases with each grade level.

Has anyone else had this problem with their children? It is difficult for DH and I to understand as we are both avid readers.

Thanks!

[joni]

She could be dyslexic.  She may suffer from a reading disorder.  She could suffer from a learning disorder.  Embarrassed, she may have never told anyone.

I do and hated to read, couldn't read well to save my life.  Never told a sole, I was diagnosed when I was almost 30.  I have a reading disorder where I have trouble remembering what I just read.  In school, I would have to read something 4 or 5 times just to remember.  Remarkable that I graduated from the top accounting school in the country with a 3.8 gradepoint (out of 4.0).  I busted my a$$ in school to compensate and compete.  I guess I rationalized that college was tough and everyone had to work hard.

When I sorted out what I had, I contacted a reading program at Northwestern, which was new.  I wanted so badly to learn to read well and get over this problem.  I would love to curl up with a good book.  I didn't qualify for the program, I was too old and my reading habits were too HACKded.  

Does she have eyesight problems?  Does she wear glasses?  Has she been to an opthamologist (the MD, not an optometrist) to have her eyes evaluated?

I still don't ever read for pleasure, just necessity.  If you truly are concerned for her, don't pressure her until you sort out whether she's suffering from some type of problem.  She'll only resent you and it'll confirm, in her mind, that you don't understand or know her.  The summer break would be an ideal time to get to the bottom of this.

[Troubledmom]

If learning disability and physical issues have been ruled out some ideas:

Find her interests. Does she love animals? Maybe fashion is her nitch? Is the idea of being the next woman basketball star more her speed? Find what it is that gets her excited, REALLY excited. Then rather then getting whole books (ewwww who wants to read a whole book at 14) find articles that are short and targeted at her interst.

Starting off with the short articles that only take a few minutes to read may be what hooks her into getting a book that tells more. We found with my oldest son that when he read articles that refered to a book he would go looking for the book after he read the article because he wanted to learn more.

If your family is going to go somewhere for a vacation, perhaps an article or short book that talks about where you are going or what you will be doing might spark an interest in reading.

Good luck
TM

[prince13]

Thanks for all the advice. She doesn't have a learning disability, or eyesight problems. This has all been addressed. She just plain doesn't like to read.

We have tried magazines, articles and stuff too. She would rather do other things. She races go karts with her brother and Dad and we get Karting mag's and her Dad even gives her specific articles...they just sit there!

There is a movie coming out this week summer of the traveling pants or something. I have the book and have read it even though it is young adult reading. I am going to tell her that if she reads the book she and I can have a girls day and go see the movie and go to lunch etc.... perhaps that will work....

[joni]

maybe summer tutoring at a place like Sylvan Learning Center can motivate her or spark her interest in reading?

[wendl]

Prince I know how you feel, my 13yr old son hates to read, I have been able to get him to read a little IF it is a sports magazine or a book about baseball but thats lasts like 5 mnutes.

Now if I could get him to turn in his homework, heck when HE DOES he gets A's and B's but he grades are suffering cuz he fails to turn them in, he forgets them in his locker.grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr teenagers.

But he is now understanding, I just informed him he CANNOT play in his baseball tournament as his assignemts were not turned in, so now his team must FORFIT the tournament as he cannot play and now they do not have enough players, so now the kids and coach are upset but it was his choice and I warned him.


**These are my opinions, they are not legal advice**

[Mediator]

you can try audio books on topics she is interested in.  another option is to leverage her benefits she receives during her visits.  she can earn more privileges when she reads

[flewwellin]

Her age now is the age I was when I became an avid reader.  Find things that she really likes and then let her read away.  I found on my own romance novels I have enough books now at 23 to fill up 6 book cases full. and just don't push it.  she may not be a reader, my mother wasn't and my dad was.

[prince13]

It is difficult to understand, as her father and myself are voracious readers. From what DH has told me her Mom reads a lot as well. His two boys are very interested, but she isn't. I am not going to push it, but she needs to read some to keep up over the summer. We just fear that when she starts high school in the fall that this lack of reading time will hurt her in all subject matters as the reading requirements become more burdensome with each subsequent grade level.

[Mediator]

consider taking him to an adult literacy program to see how adults are struggling and value reading.  Have them talk to him about their expereinces.  Have him volunteer at an adult literacy program.  Through giving he may receive.