For parents who enjoy reading — or even those who want to introduce the hobby to their children — motivating a reluctant young reader can be tricky. However, it is not impossible, say experts, so long as parents keep the following methods in mind.
Identify reasons for reluctance
The first step, says children’s book author Lesley D Biswas, is to explore why your child may be reluctant to pick up a book. Perceiving reading as a boring activity, not discovering the right book to pique curiosity or suit reading levels, as well as pressuring children to read in order to improve academic performance rather than for pleasure could be some reasons, she explains.
“Allow your child to choose their own books and read for fun,” adds Biswas. "Introduce a variety of titles by different authors, across genres and interests. Visiting bookstores, book fairs, book events or gifting a library membership can be some options."
It is also important to differentiate between a reluctant reader and a struggling reader. A child who seems to be unwilling could be facing reading difficulties or vision issues, in which case seek expert guidance.
When and how to start
Starting early is important. Writer and children’s book author Anita Satyajit says: “Ideally, we should give children a book in the hand the moment they can hold one.”
For young children, choose illustrated books with bright imagery and read aloud to them by pointing to pictures.
Try linking a book, character or plot line to their life
Anita Satyajit,
author
“If you aren’t one already, become a reader yourself and let your child see the grown-ups around them reading for pleasure,” says Shruthi Rao, who writes books of fiction and non-fiction for children.
Seek recommendations from other parents, neighbourhood bookstores or a library, Rao adds. “Once the child is old enough, let them take the initiative and choose the books they want to read," she says.
Variety is the spice of life
Ekta Bhandari is the co-founder of Read A Kitaab, a community of readers worldwide. Illustrated pages aside, she suggests introducing activity books and those with a child’s favourite cartoon characters to capture interest.
For children who love listening to stories, audiobooks can be a fantastic catalyst
Lesley D Biswas,
children’s book author
“Not everyone likes the same flavour of chocolate. Similarly, not everyone likes the same kind of books,” says Satyajit, who believes in offering children any and all age-appropriate reading material, from magazines, comics and graphic novels, to recipe books, manuals and maps to encourage exploration. The key is to build the foundation with patience and experimentation.
Ignite curiosity
Forcing the issue is not an effective tactic when it comes to inculcating a lifelong love of reading, so try to captivate instead of coerce.
One tactic is to bring up a character or plot line hours or even days after the book has been read, another is to draw parallels between the book and the child’s own interests. “Try linking a book, character or plot line to their life," suggests Satyajit. "So ask something like: ‘The child in this book made this choice, but what would you do?’
“Focus on topics of interest. For example, if a child likes cricket, then a book where the main character plays cricket could help.”
Biswas adds: “If they get invested in the first book of a series, they’re likely to complete the series.”
Another solution for children who enjoy watching movies is to proffer books that have been adapted into films.
Time and place
Creating a cosy reading corner helped capture the attention of Vanita Mishra's daughter Siya. The family built a little nook with cushions and a low table. “We transformed a wooden crate into a bookcase and Siya happily placed her books with ours and started sitting with us,” says Mishra. Initially, Siya, five, would flip through pages for a few minutes and leave, but soon the time she was spending in the nook increased.
“For bookworms, everywhere is a reading place and every time is a reading time,” notes Rao, but says some children may work better within a structure. In such cases, having family time to read books can work wonders even if they read only for a few minutes or a few times a week to start with.
Reading at bedtime is another option. Have a cut-off time for screens and devices gadgets to help children turn to a book rather than other distractions. Satyajit says: “There is nothing as comforting as snuggling into bed with a book. Get into bed and read with them; it does not matter if they are three or 13.”
Birds of a feather
Biswas suggests making reading a social activity among older children, who can discuss themes, favourite characters, how they do or do not relate to them and even what they would change if they were the author.
Read A Kitaab chooses a book of the month for children to read and discuss online. “We offer a calm and safe space to interact and exchange ideas, provide an online library and schedule book discussions, nuanced talks and author conversations,” says Bhandari.
Following a session that required children to prepare a brief monologue on the books they had read, she says: “We received feedback from so many parents that their children can now speak more confidently on subjects and are reading more regularly.”
Younger children may benefit from storytelling sessions, says Satyajit, especially those who enjoy group rather than solo activities.
However, Rao cautions group sessions will only help if the child is open and willing to communicate. If not, she says: “Forced book discussions could backfire”.
Digital props and pitfalls
Often reluctant readers prefer screens to books and many children are more attracted by live movement than stationary pages. Satyajit says reducing screentime is an effective strategy to push books to the forefront, while Bhandari notes: “Books provide an opportunity for parents to interact and talk with kids, and might, in turn, help them cut down on digital media usage.”
However, forcing children to read books by cutting into screen time can be detrimental, leading them to "resent" reading, Rao says. The ideal approach, she adds, is to introduce them to books slowly, which will naturally reduce screen time.
While reading paper books can decrease the use of digital media, Kindle and audiobooks can encourage reading, especially for children who are keen listeners as well as those with ADHD or learning disabilities.
“For children who love listening to stories, audiobooks can be a fantastic catalyst as well as help a child rest their eyes,” says Biswas.
One disadvantage is that audiobooks are passive and not much help when it comes to identifying words, thus affecting a child’s reading ability, cautions Bhandari.
Pick your battles
In a family of enthusiastic readers, there may be one child who prefers to dance, sketch, paint or play instead of reading. Therefore, while parents can patiently explore creative options to encourage engagement, some may also need to accept reluctant children will never become voracious readers, adds Rao.
“Some kids will never love reading, so don’t force them,” says Rao. “There are so many more things to do. They might gravitate to books later in life or they may never warm to books, and that’s OK, too.” Accepting your child's preferences and understanding that not liking books doesn’t make them lesser than their peers who love reading, is essential, she adds.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
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The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More coverage from the Future Forum
Most match wins on clay
Guillermo Vilas - 659
Manuel Orantes - 501
Thomas Muster - 422
Rafael Nadal - 399 *
Jose Higueras - 378
Eddie Dibbs - 370
Ilie Nastase - 338
Carlos Moya - 337
Ivan Lendl - 329
Andres Gomez - 322
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Results
5.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Al Battar, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer).
6.05pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Good Fighter, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
6.40pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Way Of Wisdom, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
7.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Immortalised, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
7.50pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Franz Kafka, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
8.25pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Mayadeen, Connor Beasley, Doug Watson.
9pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Chiefdom, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
DUBAI WORLD CUP RACE CARD
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Well Of Wisdom
7.05pm Summrghand
7.40pm Laser Show
8.15pm Angel Alexander
8.50pm Benbatl
9.25pm Art Du Val
10pm: Beyond Reason
MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
ARGENTINA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Agustin Marchesin, Esteban Andrada
Defenders: Juan Foyth, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Nicolas Tagliafico, Ramiro Funes Mori, Renzo Saravia, Marcos Acuna, Milton Casco
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Roberto Pereyra, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala, Matias Suarez
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
THE BIO
Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place
Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai
First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group
Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne
Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia
Family: Six sisters
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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