Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy How to get a mathematical kid to read?!?

Same here. Our local library has a "discard" shelf with books ranging from 25c to $2. I'm constantly looking through the books and more often than not come home with borrowed AND purchased books. Ahhhh... books... can't have too many!! (I'm kind of a book hoarder )

I know someone suggested just leaving it alone but I think the OP mentioned that he has to do 30 minutes per night for homework. I assume there is some sort of log. I have taught my kids "creative reading log accounting" that if there is 30 minutes per night and 5 nights required that there should be 2.5 hours of reading per week and I am not going to worry if 30 minutes on Monday and one hour on Tuesday and he didn't do any on Wednesday. I don't consider it unethical to just put 30 minutes per night. Life doesn't always give you thirty minutes every night.

But if he wasn't reading at all, I wouldn't sign (my kids had to have it signed and the book listed) and would be looking for some reading materials that might grab his interest or even different ways to enjoy reading (audio books, reading aloud to him, shared reading, magazines instead of books, etc.). And I wouldn't worry about audio books because he has the skills to read and comprehend...he just hasn't found the joy.

Try him on Have Spacesuit, Will Travel - that's the book that caused me (and one or two of my friends) to decide to go to MIT. It was written in the 50's, so it's possible that you will have to explain some cultural references, but it's one hell of a good book, and the protagonist is someone who sounds an awful lot like him.

Given that he wants to work for NASA, have you tried science fiction?

Make him listen to audio books while he tinkers.

Thanks, everyone! As usual, I come here all stressed out over my son's behavior, only to learn that he is perfectly normal. Thanks for all the tips and book suggestions, y'all have been really helpful!