Hating it

May 4, 2010

My son (age 4+) does not like reading very much. In school, he would cry with tears when the teacher asked him to do some reading and he says he hates it.

Hate is in his vocabulary. Whatever that displeases him, he would say he hates it. When it is time for him to go to sleep and he still wants to watch TV, he would say he hates it.  Sort of just casually out of the mouth kind of thing. But the fact that he would cry and refuse to read beckons something deeper?

I was discussing about it with my wife and I was already resolving not to press him to read if he does not like it. But how does discipline comes in? Shouldn't parents develop discipline in the child by repeatedly instilling in the child the need to read. He must be interested in order to proceed or shouldn't he? A difficult balance. Forcing him to read it will make him hate it but not forcing him will not do him good either. Maybe for a while, will just let loose and let him have his way. Not to force him to read until he becomes uninterested in it. To consistently remind him to do some reading but not forcing him to do it will be the way to go.

Any advice, anyone?