I’ll be honest. I didn’t grow up loving books. I didn’t collect them. I didn’t stay up late reading under the covers. I didn’t dream of libraries or get excited about book fairs. For me, reading was boring. It was something teachers made me do. It was something that gave me a headache.
But when I had a child, something changed. I started reading parenting advice. I read that kids who love reading do better in school. I read that reading helps kids understand feelings and think more clearly. I read that reading even helps with mental health. And I thought, “Okay, I don’t love reading. But I want my child to love it.”
The problem was, I didn’t know where to start. How do you teach something you never liked? How do you pass on a love for books when you don’t have it yourself?
I didn’t give up. I read articles. I watched videos. I tried everything. Some things failed. Some things worked better than I ever imagined. And now, my child is the kind of kid who reads during breakfast, carries books on trips, and asks for more books at bedtime. It didn’t happen by accident. It happened step by step.
Here’s how I did it. If I can raise a reader, so can you.
1. I Started with Myself (Just a Little)
I knew I couldn’t teach a love for reading if I acted like books were poison. I didn’t have to become a bookworm. But I had to show that reading wasn’t a punishment.
So I made a small change. I picked up magazines at the grocery store. I read short articles online. I borrowed cookbooks and comic books. I let my child see me reading—just a little.
Even if I was only reading for five minutes, my child noticed. Kids watch what we do. I wasn’t reading long novels, but I was showing that reading was part of life.
2. I Made Books Normal
Before, we only had a few books on one shelf. They were dusty and forgotten. So I made books easier to reach. I put some in the living room. I left some near the bed. I even kept a few in the bathroom.
I went to thrift stores and yard sales. I found picture books, board books, and silly joke books. I didn’t spend much money. But slowly, books started showing up everywhere in our house.
I didn’t force my child to read them. I just made them easy to grab. I treated them like snacks on a table. If you see them enough, you start trying them.
3. I Let My Child Choose What They Wanted
At first, I made a big mistake. I picked out “smart” books. I thought books had to be serious or educational. But my child was bored. They didn’t care about those books. And I don’t blame them.
So I stopped choosing. I let my child pick. At the library, I said, “Pick any five books you want.” At the bookstore, I said, “I’m not looking at the cover. You decide.”
Sometimes they picked graphic novels. Sometimes they picked books with no words. Sometimes they picked books that made me roll my eyes. But I didn’t say no. Because reading is reading.
Letting kids choose gives them power. And when they feel in control, they want to read more.
4. I Read Out Loud (Even When They Could Read Themselves)
Reading out loud used to feel silly. I thought it was only for babies. But I found out it works at every age.
When I read out loud, something magic happens. We sit close. We laugh at the same parts. We talk about the story. We pause to ask questions. And slowly, my child started wanting more.
We read in the car. We read before bed. We read during lunch. I used funny voices, even when I felt weird. I made animal sounds. I whispered during scary parts. And my child hung on every word.
Even if you’re not a great reader, it doesn’t matter. It’s the time together that counts.
5. I Didn’t Turn It into Homework
This was hard. I used to say things like, “You have to read 20 minutes today.” Or, “Read this chapter and I’ll give you a reward.” It didn’t work.
When reading becomes a chore, kids lose interest. So I stopped counting minutes. I stopped making charts. I stopped the bribes.
Instead, I said things like, “Let’s read a chapter together,” or “Want to see what happens next?” I made it part of our fun time, not our school time.
Now my child reads without being told. And I don’t even have to keep track.
6. I Got Books That Match Their Passions
My child loves animals. So we found books about sharks, cats, and wild dogs. They also love video games. So we read books about game characters. They love jokes. So we got silly books full of knock-knock jokes.
Every time my child got into something new—dinosaurs, cooking, science—I found books that matched.
Books don’t have to be fiction. They can be fact books, activity books, or even sticker books. If it has words and it gets your child excited, it counts.
Reading should be about joy, not just learning.
7. I Let Them Read in Different Ways
Not all reading happens with paper. I found that out when my child started using audiobooks.
At first, I thought it was cheating. But I was wrong. Listening to stories builds the same brain skills as reading with eyes. It helps kids understand how stories work. It teaches new words.
Now we listen to audiobooks on car rides. Sometimes we play one while building with blocks or drawing pictures. My child loves it.
We also use e-books and apps. Some of them read stories out loud and highlight the words. That helps with word recognition.
Reading doesn’t have to look one way. It just has to connect.
8. I Didn’t Panic Over Reading Levels
At one point, I worried about reading levels. I thought, “Is this book too easy? Is it too hard?” I even made my child take a test online. That was a mistake.
When I relaxed, everything got better. I stopped saying “That book is for younger kids.” If my child liked it, I let them read it. I let them reread books too.
Rereading helps with fluency. Easy books build confidence. Hard books challenge the brain. All of it helps.
Now, I look at my child, not a level chart. I focus on joy, not scores.
9. I Made Reading a Social Thing
Reading doesn’t have to be alone. We started a little book club with friends. Every month, the kids picked a book and met up to talk about it. Sometimes they didn’t even talk about the book that much. But they had fun. And they kept reading.
We also watched movie versions of books. After reading “Charlotte’s Web,” we watched the movie together and talked about what was different. That helped with comprehension.
Sometimes we even acted out scenes. I was the villain. My child was the hero. We made costumes. It was silly. But it made books come alive.
10. I Connected Books to Real Life
When we read a book about cooking, we made a recipe from the story. When we read about a dog, we visited a dog park. When we read about outer space, we went to the science museum.
Books became a starting point, not just a quiet activity. We brought stories into our real world. That made my child see reading as something useful, not just something quiet.
Now my child gets excited to learn from books. And I get excited too.
11. I Asked Questions Without Quizzing
At bedtime, after a chapter, I used to say, “What happened in the story?” My child would shrug or mumble. It felt like a test.
Now, I ask different kinds of questions. I say, “What would you do if you were the main character?” or “Did that part remind you of anything in your life?” or “What do you think will happen next?”
Those kinds of questions make kids think deeply. And they feel more like a conversation than a quiz.
Now, my child brings up books on their own. They say, “This reminds me of the dragon from the book.” That shows they’re really connecting.
12. I Celebrated Books (But Not in a Fake Way)
I didn’t throw a party every time my child finished a book. But I did show that books matter.
We go to the library often. My child has their own library card. They feel proud using it.
We also go to author readings when we can. We talk about books like we talk about movies. We say things like, “What did you like about that book?” or “Would you recommend it to someone?”
We treat books like something to enjoy, not just something to check off a list.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t love reading as a kid. But that didn’t stop me from raising a child who does. I didn’t need to be perfect. I didn’t need to read classics or know all the right words. I just needed to care.
I made space for books. I followed my child’s lead. I focused on joy, not pressure.
And over time, something amazing happened. Books became part of our lives.
If you’re a parent who doesn’t love reading, don’t give up. You don’t have to change overnight. Just take one step. Then another. Let your child see books not as homework, but as a doorway. A doorway to ideas, adventure, laughter, and wonder.
Reading is a gift. And it’s a gift your child can grow to love—even if you didn’t.
