Carol Dweck on what to do when your child says, “I don’t like reading!”

Read between the lines, says Stanford psychologist and Mindset author Carol Dweck. Why? Because kids mean something very different when they object to reading.

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team

Here’s how 4 other parenting experts say to respond…

Melissa Taylor
Don’t despair, says Book Love author Melissa Taylor. Instead, try these three secrets to get your reluctant reader hooked on books. Format: Video (1:58)

Bruce Feiler
The bestselling author of The Secret of Happy Families did his research and discovered the best way to respond. Format: Video (1:39)

Kelly Gallagher
Longtime educator and child reading expert Kelly Gallagher says that a parent should take into account a child’s age and use these techniques to make reading fun. Format: Article

Marva Collins
Famed educator Marva Collins shares her secret for getting even the most recalcitrant readers to succeed. Format: Article

Video transcript

“Often when kids say reading is boring, I don’t like reading, they really mean I’m afraid I am not good at reading. Often behind this screen of I don’t like, I don’t want, is this idea that some people are good at something and some aren’t. And maybe I’m not good at it. And if we teach kids that skills like reading are things that you become better at over time by doing it when it’s hard. That can make a really big difference. And in general, we should teach them hard things don’t mean you’re not good at something. Hard is how you get better at them. In general, we should teach them, easy tasks, boring, waste of time. Hard tasks, that’s when you’re growing these connections in your brain and getting smarter.”

About the author

The GreatSchools Editorial Team

GreatSchools.org is a national nonprofit with a mission to help every child obtain a high-quality education that values their unique abilities, identities, and aspirations. We believe in the power of research-backed, actionable information to empower parents, family members, and educators to help make this happen. For 25 years, the GreatSchools Editorial Team has been working to make the latest, most important, and most actionable research in education, learning, and child development accessible and actionable for parents through articles, videos, podcasts, hands-on learning resources, email and text messaging programs, and more. Our team consists of journalists, researchers, academics, former teachers and education leaders — most of whom are also dedicated parents and family members — who not only research, fact check, and write or produce this information, but who use it in our daily lives as well. We welcome your feedback at editorial@greatschools.org.