If reading feels hard in your house, you’re not alone.
Many children struggle to sit still with a book.
- They fidget.
- They wander off.
- They lose interest quickly.
That doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy stories. It means the format doesn’t fit them yet.
January is a good time to reset how we think about reading.
Reading has never been one-size-fits-all
Some children love pages, others need movement. Both can build a relationship with stories.
Reading can happen:
- While drawing on the floor
- While building with bricks
- While lying on the sofa
- While pacing the room
Still listening. Still imagining. Still learning.
Why sitting still can be the barrier
When we ask a child to sit, focus, and read, we ask a lot at once.
- Control your body
- Control your attention
- Decode words
- Understand the story
For some children, that stack is too high. Remove one layer and everything changes.
Listening lets children:
- Focus on the story without pressure
- Build vocabulary naturally
- Follow characters and plot
- Stay engaged while moving
The story comes first, the format comes second.
What this looks like in real life
A child listens to a story while colouring. They pause to ask a question. They laugh at the same part every time. It might not look like reading, but it is. Stories are doing the work quietly in the background.
January is about rhythm, not rules
This isn’t about forcing a new habit overnight. It’s about finding a moment that fits your day.
Try this:
-
Pick one time of day
-
Choose one short story
- Let your child move freely
No correction, or managing performance and no pressure. Ten minutes is enough. What matters most is that engagement beats posture, and consistency beats duration. Ultimately the enjoyment will beat perfection.
If your child connects with stories, you're on the right track.
Try this tonight:
- Put a story on
- Let your child draw, build, or move
- Listen for the questions they ask
That's reading too. And this January, that's enough to start building the habit of a lifetime.
