How to Raise a Voracious Reader (Without Losing Your Mind)

Guest Author: Lisa Christiansen

If getting your kid to love reading feels like trying to get them to eat spinach willingly, you are among friends; you’re not failing. You’re in the thick of it, surrounded by screens, packed schedules, and short attention spans. Yet, there’s still pressure to raise a lifelong reader while making dinner and maybe answering unread emails. So let's talk about fundamental strategies. What’s possible in the real world with real humans who throw real tantrums?

Start With You (Seriously)

You know how your kid wants to do everything you’re doing? They want to stir the soup, scroll your phone, and wear your shoes. It’s the same with reading. If they see you cracking open a book for fun—not because you have to—they'll believe books are a part of life. It won’t feel like just a school thing or a “because I said so” thing; it will feel normal. Curl up with a book on the couch, even for five minutes. Let them wander by. What they see sticks more than you think.

Get a Little Help With Curation

Okay, full honesty? Sometimes you're just too tired to figure out which books your kid might like. A thoughtfully curated book selection can be a lifesaver. For the early adult reader interested in 1970s historical fiction, someone else does the sorting; you just say yes or no. It still counts. You’re still opening the door. Sometimes that’s the difference between “Eh, maybe later” and “Oh, cool, let’s try this one.”

For Working Moms Doing All the Things

You are juggling so much. Yes, reading might fall off the priority list. Not because it doesn’t matter, but because everything matters, and you're only one person. The key is not expecting perfection. It’s about staying connected during busy seasons. One bedtime page. A quick conversation in the car. That’s enough. You don’t owe your child a full curriculum. You owe them presence. Even five minutes can leave a mark.

Find Tiny Pockets of Time

Let go of the idea that reading has to be a long, candlelit, two-chapters-a-night ritual. It doesn’t! One page at breakfast counts. A goofy picture book in the car counts. When you schedule consistent shared reading sessions, even if they’re short and chaotic and interrupted by juice spills, it tells your kid, "this matters!" Make reading part of every day. Some nights you’ll read a whole book. Some nights you’ll both fall asleep mid-sentence. That’s fine. You're reading!

Let Them Pick the Weird Stuff

Graphic novels about bathroom jokes? Dinosaur encyclopedias? Spiderman Level 1 readers for the twentieth time? Yep. All of it. Let them pick. It gives them a sense of control. When kids get to pick stories that interest them, they lean in way harder. Your job isn’t to steer them toward good literature. It’s to keep the love of reading alive. You can build on it later. For now, weird is welcome.

Make the Space Feel Like Theirs

It doesn’t have to be an Instagram nook. It can be a blanket in the corner, a stack of books in a bin, or a lamp that makes things feel cozy. Setting up a comfy reading corner at home becomes an invitation to relax and enjoy visible books within reach. Flip through while the child is wandering around; the behavior whispers that reading happens here.

Shout Out Their Wins (Loudly)

Finished a book? Talk about it at dinner. They read a sentence on their own, and they earn a high-five. When you celebrate when your child reads, you’re saying: They did something cool. They stuck with it. They grew. Kids need that feedback loop. They need to know it’s not just about reading for school or reading to please you, but reading because it feels good to finish something.

The Importance of Consistency

Kids don't need a chart or a daily goal tracker or a perfectly curated shelf; they just need access. They need warmth. They need moments. If books are visible and they see joy when you read, that’s enough. You’re raising a reader.

Conclusion

In this fast-paced world, cultivating a love for reading in your child may seem daunting. However, it is achievable with small, consistent efforts. The key is to create an environment where reading is enjoyable and accessible. Remember, every little moment counts.

Baker & Goodman