Come with me on a journey back in time. Back to when you were in elementary school, sitting in class, and the teacher called on you to read a passage from a story or a text book.

How did that make you feel? Were you nervous that you would mispronounce a word, or that others might laugh at you because you couldn’t read as proficiently as them? Was there another student that didn’t like reading out loud because of their reading skills?

When kids are young, they enjoy being read to and also enjoy reading books on their own (and yes, sometimes even eating them when they are teething.) But somewhere along the way, they tend to lose interest and their love of reading declines. One of the reasons some kids lose interest is because they haven’t mastered the skill of reading as well as some of their peers, thus heightening their anxiety of being teased or ridiculed.

Enter in Fido and Frisky, the family dog and cat.

It may sound silly, but if your child is struggling with reading, getting the family pet involved is a great way to build your child’s literacy skills and confidence. When children read to animals, they aren’t judged or ridiculed. Children can read any book they like, not worry about whether or not they are pronouncing something correctly, and can feel calmer knowing their furry friend is hanging out with them.

And guess what – the pets also enjoy the time because they are getting some personal attention that doesn’t involve someone grabbing their tail or chasing them around the room. It’s a relaxing, bond-building, win-win situation for both human and animal!

Here are some tips on how you to have your child and family pet enjoy reading time together:

• Pick a time when a pet is less energized. After the pet’s meal time or following a long walk or exercise is a great time for a story.
• Select an environment with little to no distractions.
• Let your child pick the reading material. Magazine, story, comic book, or even a baby book – what matters is that your child is reading something of interest to them.
• Supervision is a must for younger children around pets! While supervising, be sure not to correct your child or read for them. That can be done at a separate time. The goal is for your child to feel confident in reading aloud. If you cannot supervise your younger child, consider putting the pet in their crate with some yummy treats so they look forward to reading time.
• Limit the first session to just a couple of minutes and then increase the time as the pet and child feel more comfortable.

Although dogs and cats are the most common pets that kids like to read to, don’t discount the family bird, lizard, fish, or any other pet!

If you don’t have a pet in your home but want to improve your child’s reading ability while helping out a good cause, consider making a trip to the local animal shelter. Lots of animals love the attention and your child will not only be building their literacy skills, but will also be helping out a furry friend in need at the same time.

Need a recommendation for a quick story for your child to read? Check out Briony Stewart’s “We Love You, Magoo!” This fun book is perfect for young, beginning readers. Find it here or online shopping site or email me for other recommendations!

Grace