HOW READING WITH YOUR TEEN BUILDS RELATIONSHIP

Are you looking to connect with Your Teen? Are you faced with the back of their phone when you ask them a question or try to chat with them?

This simple trick to connect with your teen is the BEST one I know. Reading with your teen will build your relationship on a whole new level.

Technology is where our kids chat with friends, game, and watch shows. We cannot avoid it or really compete with it.

We have to make “non-digital time” our friend and begin a new habit of reading to connect with our teens.

Reading with all of our kids is a great “non-digital” opportunity and is beyond a blessing.

Recently, I found myself reading about a girl helping save her Jewish friend from Nazi’s, a young knight in Medieval Times, a time-traveling dog, and a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. All in ONE WEEK!

Four kids, four books, and four amazing conversations with them all!

Reading is fun and super healthy! When it also builds our relationship with our kids it is a Mom’s dream come true.

The Value of Reading

A love of reading is strongly cultivated in our home. Reading opens the mind to imagination. It is a great way to be inspired by the lives of others – real or created characters. Books open us up to so many people and places we could not otherwise experience. So much is learned between the pages of good books.

www.Healthline.com states these benefits of reading:

Research shows that regular reading:

improves brain connectivity.
increases your vocabulary and comprehension.
empowers you to empathize with other people.
aids in sleep readiness.
reduces stress.
lowers blood pressure and heart rate.
fights depression symptoms.
prevents cognitive decline as you age.

If you too love reading and are looking to pass that love on to your kids, then I am sure you already have read to them.

Bedtime is where it is at in our home. We have rules that 100% limit screen at bedtime and all our kids head to bed at a reasonable hour. They can play with small toys, do word puzzles and games, write and draw, or card tricks.

Related Post: Tips to Build a Strong Work Ethic in Kids

The number one thing we ask all our kids do is READ!

We often think of reading to little kids, and you absolutely should. But do you ever consider reading to your teens and tweens?

Top Trick to Connect with Teens – Read!

Reading connects you with your kids in those imaginary places. It brings new knowledge to both of you and gives so much to discuss!

When you read with your teen, there is an opportunity to snuggle and get that physical connection. We all need that hug and touch to feel loved, cared for, and safe. This builds your relationships through trust.

I lay in my kid’s beds with them under a reading lamp and snuggle in with them. You can take turns reading together, and pause to answer questions.

Need more Ideas PLUS book suggestions?
Top 10 Ideas to Connect with Your Teen

Questions Create Connection

When you are reading with your teen and learning about new things, you will have lots of new things to discover. Asking questions and searching for answers together is a perfect way to create a deeper connection with your teen.

If you read fantasy or fiction, you can always discuss some good “should” questions.

Asking “should questions” about characters in stories is a great way to cultivate critical thinking in your teens. Analyzing decisions the characters make and the outcomes that result opens their minds to seeing opposing views.

Questions also give teens the opportunity to express how they might face a situation. Sometimes they might agree with the main character, other times they may find that they would have chosen a different path.

Reading with Your Teen will help them to identify their own gifts and talents. As they relate to the people and characters they read about, they discover new things about themselves. Likes and dislikes, passions and opportunities, and inspiration to try something new.

Related post with Printable: Helping Kids Identify Gifts & Talents

All of this provides the perfect chance to hear from your teen and connect with them.

Reading Inspiration

Not a Reader? It is never too late to start . This will help your kids to love reading too.

To find great ways to START reading, head to Sarah Mackenzie’s site Read-Aloud Revival. She truly has everything you need to get started and be encouraged to read to all of your children. You can find booklists, podcasts, and TONS of inspiration. She also has a book titled “The Read-Aloud Family“ that will give your whole family a hunger to read.

I also love checking in at The Unlikely Homeschool. Jamie Erickson posts monthly on what she and her kiddos have been reading. She has “no-twaddle” book lists for all ages, including mommas, that are outstanding! Her book “Homeschooling Bravely” is another fantastic resource for any stage of your homeschooling journey.