When I see a book, I think of it as a “treasure chest.”
The person who opens the cover will discover infinite possibilities – excitement, emotion, great characters, facts, new ideas! When I leave a book on my son’s bed for him to “find,” it’s like I’m leaving him buried treasure.
Sometimes I’ll sweeten the pot a little. As I put the book down I’ll say, “Hmph, I never knew that was the largest land animal! It’s all in there.” And then I’ll walk out of the room, leaving him alone with this – treasure – to find.
Consider how different “books contain treasure” is from “reading is hard work.” Who wants to open a book if it’s going to mean work? Who doesn’t want to open a treasure chest?!
An attitude shift from the parent is often all that’s needed to elicit a big change in the child. Change the way you think about books, and so will your child.
