I’m trying to get my six-year-old son to love reading. I tell him it’s a superpower, a way to make all areas of his life better.
He’s not convinced by that argument.
So I try a different approach. When he gets stuck during a trading card or video game, I show him how reading certain words will allow him to play better. I stimulate his curiosity about an exhibit when we’re in a museum, then point to the display’s sign that explains what it is. I allow him to fiddle with a map-based app on a computer, then point to unfamiliar words on the screen that would enhance his usage.
Being pitched a theoretical benefit isn’t the same as removing real-life pain. I’m hoping that solving firsthand problems is a huge learning motivator.