Dads, Boys, and Reading - How Dads Can Make Reading Fun for Boys

As a dad myself, I know how incredibly busyyou throw in a little genuine enthusiasm.
fathers can be. You've got more responsibilitiesI also highly recommend choosing books that are
than ever, work more hours with less jobrelevant to your son's favorite things. If he's into
security, slog through heavy traffic to and fromdinosaurs and space shuttles, then books based
work, have to fix things up around the house, andon those subjects are going to be the most fun
are always heading out of town for anfor him to read. And here's the secret: the more
emergency meeting. Before you know it, yourfun he's having, the more he's comprehending and
kids have grown up and you're living out the lyricslearning. Pretty cool coincidence, huh? When I sat
of a bad Jim Croce song.down to map out the topics for my popular Time
Well, I'm here to give you something that's worthSoldiers® series of adventure books, I
a time out: Reading to your son and making it fun.researched what topics where really relevant to
But what's the urgency in that, you wonder?young boys and wrote accordingly. The books
You've been meaning to do more reading to yourfeature tales of pirates, dinosaurs, knights in
boy - and, anyway, you catch a quick story witharmor, and ancient Egyptian mummies because
him when you can. That's good enough, right?these are the kinds of things I found most boys
Wrong!loved to learn about. Have you ever seen two
Numerous studies have proven that boys lag wellboys with cardboard tubes or sticks not want to
behind girls when it comes to reading skills. And a"sword fight"?
late start in the world of reading means they willA friend of mine just told me about a great
be digging themselves out of a hole for theiractivity he uses with his son. Every week, they
entire academic careers. With more competitiontake part in the "Reading Bowl" - a competition in
for admission into top colleges, you just can'twhich they chart how many books they read
afford to let your children fall behind.together - then try and top that number the next
One of the most vital links in the chain of goodweek. It's a great little motivator that gets his son
learning is the relationship between boys, theiras revved up as any sport or video game ever
dads, and reading. Simply put, not enough dadscould. It appears to be working, as they're on a
are making reading a part of their special timethirteen week streak of beating the previous
with their sons. And that is a shame because aweek's totals!
boy's hero is his dad - and if he sees him as aFinally, my sons and I would take the adventure
"reading role model," he is that much more likelyof reading out into the real world. When we found
to build the crucial reading skills he needs toa topic we loved, we headed out on the
succeed in life.weekends to discover more about it. So if we
But what to do? Be proactive, that's what! Let'swere reading about dinosaurs, then we'd go to
roll up our sleeves and discover some fun thingsthe Natural History Museum. If we were into
that dads can do with their boys to helpSpace Exploration, then it was off to the local
transform them from reluctant readers intoobservatory or space museum. By taking part in
future academic all-stars!these activities, I was satisfying their thirst for
When my boys were young, one of our favoriteknowledge and proving that reading is a
reading-related father-son activities was a weeklyjumping-off point into even more exciting and fun
trip to our local bookstore. The Barnes &activities.
Noble store in our neighborhood was built forA number of years ago, there was a public
constructive loitering, and my sons and I took fullservice television commercial that showed a
advantage. We started out at the in-house coffeefather, beat tired after a hard day at the office,
shop (java for me, hot chocolate for them) andwho still managed to muster up the energy to
then wandered over to the young readers sectionread to his son at bedtime. The look on that little
of the store (with a quick stop at the grown-upboy's face (he's probably about 30 now) always
periodicals section to grab a couple of mystuck with me. He just looked so happy and
favorites). Then we grabbed a stack of theirproud that his dad had taken the time to read to
favorite books - along with plenty of newhim. Well, imagine my surprise when I started to
discoveries - and settled in for an hour or so.see that very same look in my sons' eyes when
At home, we took our reading activities to theI settled down for the evening and read them
next level. Boys respond well to stories that aretheir favorite stories. The point of this trip into the
acted out or told with an interesting narrativeTV time machine is that there's no greater feeling
style. So sometimes we would "play act" a book -of joy than your own son's expression when you
with each of us taking on different roles. Ourtake the time to read to him. It's good for you as
favorite was "The 3 Billy Goats Gruff" and wea parent and even better for him as he grows up
played it out every Saturday for a couple ofand makes his way in this world.
years. We used funny voices and lots ofWhen it comes to reading to your son,
animated movement to bring the story alive. Tryremember: make it fun, make it special, and know
it! Lighten up and get a little crazy! You'll bethat you couldn't be doing anything better for
amazed at how the kids' eyes brighten up whenyour boy's future. Treasure it.