Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

2026-04-22

Pleasure Reading Gives Your Teen Choices

Too often, teens see reading as just another assignment—a certain book, at a certain time, in a certain way. But reading for pleasure is more like a buffet: Try a little of everything, keep what you like, and leave the rest until you’re ready to try again.

Tell your teen it’s OK to:

• Read a wide variety of things. Unless material directly conflicts with your family's values, or you feel it could harm your teen in some way, leave the choice of what to read up to your teen.
• Skip around when reading. Yes, it makes the most sense to start on page one and read in order. But maybe your teen doesn’t feel like doing that. It's better to read out of order than not to read at all.
• Put reading down. No reader finishes every single book or article. If your teen really dislikes a pleasure reading choice, it's OK to stop. Feeling like they have to finish everything can cause students to shy away from trying new materials for fear they won’t like them. Encourage your teen to try a different book.
• Get caught up in a story. When your teen is reading, promise not to interrupt for at least 30 minutes. Your teen may soon find reading is a great way to get some alone time.

Brought to you by:

Lehigh Senior High School

[School Success Ideas for Families]

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