When my kids were little, I learned the hard way that pushing reading was about as effective as trying to convince a cat to take a bath. My first child, Turner, shut down faster than a laptop with a dead battery when I tried the "let's practice reading" approach. After that epic fail, I discovered that sneaking in learning moments here and there – and trusting the process – worked way better for both our sanity levels.

Here are five ways we made reading fun without anybody crying (mostly me):

 

1. Car Time Shenanigans

Those endless drives to school, soccer or baseball practice, doctor’s appointments, etc became bonus learning time. Instead of just enduring "Whatever Song was Popular" for the millionth time, we'd switch to phonics songs and letter-learning videos. Carly would bounce in her car seat, singing along, while Turner and Wyatt turned into human billboard scanners, spotting letters everywhere. "Mom! S for STOP! Like we should've done before I totally ran through a stop sign I didn’t see!"

 

2. The Bedtime Bribe (I Mean, Strategy)

When I’d hear “I don’t want to go to bed!” I learned the power of this word combination: "Do you want to stay up one more minute or five more minutes? (of course it was always five). “You can if you go pick out a book and I’ll lay and read with you.” Worked like magic. No fancy techniques needed – just cuddles and my Oscar-worthy character voices. Nothing says quality parenting like pretending to be a squeaking mouse while trying not to fall asleep yourself. But those giggly moments of exploring stories together? Pure gold. Turns out kids just want some one-on-one time, and they're willing to tolerate education to get it.

 

3. Dinner Table Tactics

Family dinner sounds easy until you're living in Crazy Town where everyone has different activities, and your kitchen table doubles as a homework station. But we made it work when we could and upped the fun with table games - at their reading level. Was it perfectly executed? Nope. Did we sometimes end up reading take-out menus together instead? Absolutely. As my kids grew, we graduated to games like Kids Against Maturity. Those moments of shared laughter were priceless. Keep exploring – you'll find the perfect games that make family dinners so fun, your kids will want to come back home for more, even when they're grown.

 

4. The Celebration Station

Many studies have shown that children are motivated to work towards a goal when their are positive rewards offered. When my oldest, Turner, finished his first chapter book, we celebrated with backyard football – because nothing says "congratulations on reading" like getting tackled by your mom. When I began homeschooling my youngest daughter in the 2nd grade, I began to see that each child truly does learn differently. Reading for her was so much easier than it was for my boys, and she actually enjoyed it! Her reward was getting to go to the library and pick out a new book! (My boys would have cringed). I eventually learned how to let my kids focus on the things they thrived at and then try my best at being their biggest cheerleader on the things they didn’t. I learned quickly that patience isn't a gift, it's a choice, and that there's magic in letting kids develop at their own pace. Sometimes your child not fitting the "norm" turns out to be their superpower.

 

5. The Great Bedtime Light Show

Our "Glow-Reading Club" started during a power outage and became my secret weapon for bedtime battles. On those nights that kids were jumping off the walls, offering this special treat helped them climb into bed (or the bedroom fort). Nothing like a flashlight and some stick-on ceiling stars to make reading feel rebellious. Sometimes I'd "catch" them reading past bedtime with flashlights under their covers – probably the only time I've ever high-fived myself for my kids not following rules.

 

The Real Deal

I believe our five minutes here, ten minutes there of reading together – between burnt dinners and forgotten permission slips – somehow added up to something pretty amazing. They not only helped boost my children’s confidence in reading they helped build our relationships.

For parents just starting out: Don't sweat the perfect reading routine. If you're worried about doing it wrong, congratulations! You're already a better parent than you think. The magic isn't in the method – it's in the giggles, the silly voices, and those precious moments when your kid actually wants to read one more page instead of negotiating for more screen time.