How to get your teenager to read more books

As young children grow into teenagers, reading often falls to the wayside. There’s lots of other forms of entertainment available, and so much reading to do for school that few teenagers want to read more than they have to.

The statistics on reading are pretty dismal. According to The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) only about 22% of teenagers read every day for fun. Those that do read daily, or at least frequently, really benefit in terms of academics. They typically have higher reading scores than their non-reading friends.

Fortunately, there’s a few things you can do to help make sure your teen is one of those few teenagers that like to read. Here’s how.

Model the behavior you want

When was the last time you picked up a book for pleasure? Between work and taking care of kids, getting just your chores done can be a real challenge. Yet teenagers are students and suffer many of the same work-life challenges as adults do.

By taking the time to read books you enjoy, and openly reading in front of your teenagers, your modeling reading as a pleasurable activity.

Supply the books they want to read

Everyone has a different passion, and the genre they like might not be what a parent first thinks of. Take your teen to the library and encourage them to look for books they are interested in. If they like a particular genre, consider getting their favorite series to have at home so they always have something exciting on hand.

Talk about the importance of reading

Although it seems like much of what we say goes in one ear and out the other, talking about how important reading is can be helpful as well. You never know what kids will absorb, so letting them know you think reading is important and why can help encourage them to pick up a book.

Reading regularly is good for people of all ages. It can help studying, keep wits sharp, and improve reading ability over time. Even if it takes a little effort, encouraging your teen to read is worth while.