Summer Reading: You Can’t Make Me!

Q: I’m stressing about my child’s reading! He likes it when we read to him, but it’s such a battle to get him to sound out words or read independently. Do we give up at this point or continue to push him? School is starting in a few weeks and I feel like he’s behind.

A: You’re not alone–many parents wonder how much academics should be emphasized in the summer. With the conflicting advice online, it makes sense that you’re unsure. There’s no one size fits all approach to summer learning. Some kids benefit from practicing emerging skills. Other kids, especially those high achievers, need a break to relax and focus on building life skills.

To figure out what’s best for your family, psychologist Dr. Jill Jacobson suggests you consider three questions: 1) How can I build on my child’s strengths? 2) How can we make working on the skills that need practice fun and meaningful? 3) What am I able to provide that’s reasonable for both my child and myself? Let your child engage in educational activities they find fun. For less developed skills, consider ways to make learning engaging based on your child’s interests (library trips, letter/word games, e-books, reading chart) and incorporate skill practice into daily life (reading signs, writing lists, sending notes). Continue reading to your child–it’s a wonderful way to support literacy and grow your child’s background knowledge. Finally, be realistic about your own capacity–you might need a break too. Perhaps there is someone your child enjoys being with, a neighbor or tutor, who could also practice independent reading skills with him. In the end, children who are not doing formal academic practice are still learning from their summer experiences. When in doubt, skip the battle over reading practice and enjoy these last few weeks together!