As August rolls in, many families, including mine, find themselves trying to squeeze in those last few summer adventures while simultaneously wrestling with the inevitable summer reading assignments. It’s time for your kids to dust off that hefty book you bought in June and tackle whatever morally intense story their teacher has handed them. Here are some fun strategies to help you get from “Once upon a time…” to “The End” without it turning into a dramatic showdown.
- Calculate Daily Goals: Start by dividing the total number of pages by the days left until school starts. You can also break it down by the entire summer vacation. This will give your child a reality check on how much procrastination has cost them. When they grumble about it, remind them of this calculation. They really enjoy that, right?
- Strategic Snacks: Only offer treats as rewards for reaching page milestones. In between, consider Neccos as an easy energy boost, but be mindful of hydration—frequent bathroom breaks can derail productivity.
- Create Anticipation: Drop hints like, “Have you reached that part where… oh, I won’t spoil it!” Maintain an air of excitement about the book. No matter where they are in the story, reassure them they’re almost at the “good part.” When they finish and ask about that part, just say, “You’re done! That’s the best part.”
- Team Up: Skim through Wikipedia to learn the main characters’ names and ask your child which “team” they’re on. “You’re reading Brave New World? Are you Team Bernard or Team John?” This adds a fun twist to their reading.
- Skip the Praise: Avoid telling them how great the book is or how much you loved it. My daughter is currently reading The Poisonwood Bible, which I adore, but it’s a whopping 576 pages and a bit of a downer. Summer reading often prepares them for the more serious tone of school, anyway.
- Hit the Library: Here’s a radical thought: visit your local library. It’s a place where reading actually happens! Some libraries even have coffee shops—bonus!
- Audiobook Adventures: Play the audiobook during car rides. Drive until it’s finished. I recently suggested a trip to a favorite restaurant, which turned into a long drive to get the book done. This works wonders, unless you have more than one child—then it gets tricky.
- Dinner Quizzes: Quiz them about what they’ve read during dinner. Don’t fret if you haven’t read the book; that’s what SparkNotes are for!
- Peer Discussions: Organize a book discussion group with their friends, similar to your own book club. Make sure they discuss the book’s content! Just like in adult book groups, some kids will have read it and can help others fake their way through.
- Brace for the All-Nighter: Stock up on coffee and M&Ms for those last-minute cramming sessions. Sometimes I even share the candy with my daughter. While my spouse and I enjoy reading, she claims she must have been switched at birth with someone who prefers the beach over books.
Ultimately, prepare yourself for this scenario to repeat next year. Despite our best intentions, we all prefer leisure activities over obligatory tasks. Speaking of which, I have laundry piling up and weeds overtaking my garden. Time for a good book!
For more parenting fun, check out our other blogs, such as this one about navigating home insemination. And for those interested in the topic of artificial insemination, this resource is a great place to start, as well as Cleveland Clinic’s guide for more information on pregnancy and home insemination.
Summary: This article provides lighthearted yet practical tips for parents struggling to help their kids complete summer reading assignments. From setting daily page goals to creating excitement around the book, these strategies aim to make the process more enjoyable for everyone involved.