I didnt want to stop.
I spent all that time reading to her because I knew it wasgood for her brain.
Also, it was fun.
When she became old enough to read to herself, I didnt want our story time to end.
So we created a de facto book club.
Reading together is different than it used to be, but I read somewhere thatall is change.
Now, I readwithher instead oftoher.
We move silently and apart.
Often, she reads the books first and I follow.
She sprints through novels, finishing a stack of seven in as many days.
Im slower, distracted by annoyances like work.
Our book club is sacred to me.
Reading the books in our club forces me to put down my phone and sign out of Twitter.
I love books for grownupsI get cranky when I dont have one at hand.
But who would clean the litter boxes in my absence?
Then theres the idea of the book as time machine.
Like when Dumbledore is (spoiler alert!)
alive and jovial, instead of dead and jovial.
A books time machine power extends into the real world.
When youre absorbed in a story, time stops.
Most importantly, the book club gives us something real to talk about.
Then, she has nothing to say.
We tend to talk about the books when were in motion.
Walking home from school, hiking in the woodsactivity that doesnt require full attention.
Our talks are informal.
I dont ask her to explain symbolism or justify her opinions.
We walk, and we chat.
Sometimes, shell just say the name of a character who died or turned evil.
I know what she means.
I couldnt believe it either.
Here are some quick tips, if you want to start your own parent-child book club.
Let your kid pick.If you want enthusiasm, start here.
When kids choose the books,their reading experience is fulfilling.
That means your experience as a parent will be fulfilling.
You wont have to badger and cajolethe reading will happen naturally.
(How about werewolves?)
If you come to an impasse, see below.
Use the library, both for the books and the advice.Books arent cheap!
Take advantage of the books available for the common good.
Library websites are robust these days, allowing you to download ebooks and audiobooks for free.
When you want recommendations, go in and chat with the librarians.
Delay the classics.I know you cant wait to shareLittle Womenwith your kid.Little Womenis great.
The thing is, many other great books have been written in the past 150 years.
(Once upon a time, there were no smartphones!)
Kids need a little experience with life, a little worldliness, to understand their place in history.
For now, let them read modern books.
The classics will come in AP English.
Be open to new genres.Im not a fantasy guy.
Happily, my daughter does not share in my confusion.
This means my reading diet has become more well rounded since our book club began.
Shes also drawn to graphic novels.
Find something good to say about every book you read.Look, Ill just say it.
I do not like the Percy Jackson series.
I have my reasons, but Im not going to get sidetracked into a rant.
My daughter loves Percy, and I see no reason to crap all over her joy.
The point of this book club is to promote parent-child bonding.
I tell her how creative it was, bringing ancient myths into the present.
We all make little sacrifices to achieve big goals, like family unity.
She endures my stories about life without smartphones, which are much duller than Percy Jackson.
Dont stop.Life will get in the way.
Youll have to travel to a conference.
Youll have to spend 10 evenings in a row creating a PowerPoint deck.
Your kid will have track practice three nights a week.
On the weekends, shell start taking the bus to the mall with her friends.
There will be a thousand reasons to disband the book club.
Even if you only read one book a year together, keep reading.
Read together through high school and through college and everything after.
Theres no reason to quit.
New books are published every week.
Plus, you havent gotten around to half the classics yet!
