I love books.  I swim in them, bask in them, roll in them, devour them.  By the time I was in 5th grade, I had read every book in the school library.  The librarians were always challenged to find me something new to read!

Then I married a reluctant reader and gave birth to boys.  None of them had the same innate desire to read as I had.  Perhaps it was because they had limited exposure to TV, video games, and computers and I didn't have that at their age.  But I really think it is because reading was a lot harder for them.

My oldest son finally did read fluently by age eight after I allowed him to read a Boxcar Children book at night with a flashlight in his bed.  After that, he was able to read very well, but he never just culred up with a book.  (Motorcycle magazines are another story!)

My second son has dyslexia like his father, ADHD and just does not like to read.  It took him a very long time to learn to read fluently, but now, at age 16, he does read very well.  However, he still doesn't like to read.

But I have always read aloud to my boys, and they have gotten a lot of information that way.  I have purchased classics on CD and we have listend to many books this way, too.  As a result, they are excellent aural learners.  My second son, especially, remembers what he hears much more than what he reads himself.

Just keep reading aloud to your reluctant reader.  Let's face it.  Some kids aren't going to be avid readers.  My oldest loves to build motorcycles.  He is very intelligent, but he would just rather work in the shop.

My second son would rather be busy, too.  We still don't know what his very favorite things are -- besides listening to all kinds of music -- but he is extremely bright and does well in math and science.  He never stops moving, thinking, or being funny.  But he has a lot of good literature inside him, including the Bible, because his mother read to him.

Reading aloud and consistent, daily phonics instruction are the main things I suggest for mothers of reluctant readers!  Give them something to do with their hands -- play doh, legos, puzzles, drawing -- something quiet, and read to them for hours.  (Broken up, of course in 15- or 30-minute segments, depending on the age of the children.  Excellent books, though, may lengthen your segmented times periods!)

I'm so glad I read aloud to my boys!  Some of my happiest memories are those hours spent reading to my young men, laughing and crying with them about the storyline, discussing life, and getting inspiring books in them to help them grow up full of wisdom, healthy curiosity, and dreams for their future.