Raising Readers: Motivating Kids and Teens to Read

Raising Readers: Tips for Motivating Kids and Teens to Read

BY MARY CAMPBELL

In our world of instant digital gratification, it can be difficult to motivate children and teens to read. When younger children are learning to read, the novelty of discovering a new book is often enough to keep them motivated. As they grow older, their enthusiasm may dwindle as schoolwork, sports, and screen time takes priority. However, reading is a critical part of childhood development. Various studies have shown that children who regularly read for pleasure perform better at school, as it improves memory, concentration, critical thinking, and language skills. Reading also allows kids to develop empathy and imagination, and it broadens their knowledge of the world. Some kids naturally love to read, but others would prefer to do almost anything else and require a bit more encouragement. Screens can also prove to be a major distraction, since they provide so many other attractive options instantly, from social media and gaming to bingewatching movies and series. Initially, motivating kids to read may take a bit of effort, but a few simple tips can help to develop their love of reading for life.

Explore Their Interests

Find reading materials that cover your child's interests and passions, or even movie choices. Encourage older kids and teens to choose their own books and reading materials, without criticizing their choices. YA (young adult) novels address issues that resonate with teens, from relationship battles to peer pressure and struggles with parents. The easier it is for kids to relate to what they're reading, the more they'll read. So many great books have recently been made into popular films and series. Encourage teens to read print versions before or after watching movie adaptations and then compare notes on which was better, or what was different or similar.

Provide a Variety of Reading Materials

Some kids may feel intimidated or bored by books, so provide different reading matter that suits their interests and reading level. This could be in the form of comics, joke books, recipe books, graphic novels, poetry or even listening to audiobooks. Car drives or long journeys can provide a great opportunity to listen to audiobooks, especially since they can download their own selections onto their devices. If older kids and teens enjoy keeping up with current events, subscribe to magazines, newspapers and blogs and discuss what they're reading with them. Encourage them to try different genres and find a compelling book series to keep them engaged.

Set a Reading Schedule

Create a regular reading schedule that suits your child's lifestyle and concentration level. Younger kids may lack the concentration to read for extended periods, but they should be able to manage ten to fifteen minutes a day. A cozy reading nook helps to encourage little ones to settle down to read by themselves. Plan a regular time where you read to your kids, and ask them to read to you too. Older kids may find it difficult to fit reading time in daily, but maybe they can schedule an hour or two over weekends. Compulsory family reading times can also help to foster a regular reading habit.

Create Reading Incentives Carefully

Setting incentives can motivate kids to read until the joy of reading becomes its own reward. Completed reading logs that are rewarded with small prizes such as stickers and sweets work for younger children, but the goal is always to perpetuate an intrinsic love for reading. Often, when the prizes are stopped, the reading stops too, so use extrinsic rewards carefully. Screen time can be used as a reward for older kids and teens who resist reading. Use library visits as a reward for children who are starting to enjoy reading, or create a book allowance that they may only spend on reading material. It's important to make sure that your child is reading at the right level of difficulty. If they're reading books that are too difficult, it can discourage them to read at all, but if they're reading material that's not challenging enough, boredom may set in. Tempt older teens to read adult books too, especially ones that you've read so that you can share ideas and reviews.

Motivating children to read is a process of modeling consistent reading habits as well as encouraging them to find material that resonates with them as they grow and change. A passion for reading will provide your kids with a lifetime of learning, connection, and creativity.l

Tips to Manage Your Credit During a Divorce

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

Although a divorce does not affect your credit directly, it can indirectly result in financial problems that can hurt your credit. Take for instance a situation where you lose one of two household incomes; the loss of that income can cause financial strain which results in missed payments on your loans, credit cards and various other bills. So, when you change your marital status, your credit is not affected, but it is the changes to your personal finances which are typically associated with divorce that can have a negative effect on your credit. It is important to note that divorce does not automatically separate the credit you established with your previous spouse. What that means is that even though your debts are apportioned as part of your divorce decree, you will both still be held liable for the debt by creditors. Also, your account details, even the negative information like high credit utilization and late payments, can be reported to the credit bureaus and end up in your credit report as long as you are connected with the account. In the event that your exspouse promises to continue making payments on a joint account but defaults somehow, those missed payments will reflect on your credit report as well because you are equally responsible for that debt.

How to Manage Debt in a Divorce

While the divorce itself is not significant to your credit status, it matters how the joint debt and credit accounts are managed. If you want to be able to maintain your financial and emotional balance, it is necessary to take the steps to manage your credit early. The following are three ways that you can manage and protect your credit in a divorce.

Make a plan - You should create a plan before you even separate; do not wait until last minute to plan for life after divorce. If possible, before filing for divorce, you should both weigh up your joint loans, credit accounts and other bills. Then, you can make the decision regarding who will be in charge of paying each one. In the event that you have savings accounts that are entwined, it is necessary to find out the best way to divide assets. Asset division can be done by determining the amount that each person added to the account.

Split or close your accounts - In other words, where possible, pay off and close all joint accounts. If it is not possible for you to do that, you can discuss converting the joint account to a personal account with your card issuer or lender. Your ex-spouse will then be removed as an authorized user or account holder. Also make sure that your name is removed from every open account your ex-spouse plans to continue using.

Be responsible - It is important to remember that while waiting for your accounts to be completely separated, there is potential for you or your exspouse to cause damage to each other's credit or to run up joint debt. This is something you want to avoid at all costs. If you want your divorce process to go smoothly, and you want to maintain good credit during and after the divorce process, it is imperative that you act responsibly early on. Make it a point to make your minimum payments on time, and avoid racking up any debt that you don't plan to pay off yourself.

While a divorce can be very difficult to go through for couples, there are certain steps that you can take to make the process less stressful. If you do not take the issue of finances seriously and if you do not manage your credit well before, during and after the divorce, you may find yourself with bad credit and struggling to cope financially after the divorce. So, start taking the necessary steps to manage and protect your credit before you even file for divorce.l

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With Senate Vote on Budget Reconciliation, Decades-long Fight for Immigrant Rights One Step Closer to Victory

New York, NY: Today, (August 11) Senate Democrats passed the first step towards a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation infrastructure package. The ambitious legislation earmarks $107 billion to provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and immigrant essential workers, including hundreds of thousands of immigrant New Yorkers. In order to bypass a Senate Republican filibuster of the legislation, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer opted to pass the bill via budget reconciliation. A parliamentary procedure, budget reconciliation allows bills that change spending, revenues, and the federal debt limit to pass in the Senate with a simple majority. Legalization is expected to result in $149 billion in GDP and $39 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, according to a recently released FWD.us report. Now, the spending plan moves to the House of Representatives, which will likely vote on the legislation the week of August 22. Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition: “Today’s vote marked an enormous step forward in our decades-long battle for a pathway to citizenship for millions of hard-working immigrant families. Essential workers, Dreamers, and TPS holders have been living in limbo for far too long, threatened by court rulings that can throw their lives in turmoil at a moment’s notice and the whims of politicians, who can with the sweep of a signature on an executive order rip them from their families and the safety of the only place they have known as home. We thank Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and President Joe Biden for heeding the will of American voters and doing the smart thing to hasten America's economic recovery. But the fight is far from finished. Congress must now pass the final budget reconciliation package that includes a path to citizenship for essential workers and others. It’s what Americans want and need to rebuild their communities and secure a future for their families.”

Background

In July, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) members led one thousand immigrant essential workers, elected officials, and immigrant rights advocates to demand the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship in the Democrats’ budget reconciliation infrastructure bill. A few weeks before the inauguration of President Biden, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) launched an aggressive campaign targeted at key members of New York’s Democratic congressional delegation, demanding an unequivocal commitment to achieving a pathway to citizenship. The NYIC’s work is part of a multiorganizational and national effort spearheaded by FIRM to transform America’s immigration system. A July FWD.us report revealed a clear majority of Americans support legalization for Dreamers, TPS recipients, and essential workers. The report also outlined that legalization would provide $149 billion in GDP and $39 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. l

Senator Schumer..Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com