How My Parents Helped Me Love Reading

And what I'm doing to help my own children love it too.

Rule One: You Always Bring a Book

It didn't matter if we were going five minutes away or five hours away — we had to bring a book. If it was a long trip, bring two.

The expectation was drilled into us. There was no "I'm bored." My parents would just say, "Well, where's your book? Did you bring it? Read it."

This applied whether you were two or twelve — all of us packed our books, no exceptions. Whether we were flying abroad or sitting in a dentist's waiting room, reading was simply there. It wasn't a special activity. It was just what you did with spare time.

— no book, no excuse — pack it anyway

They Asked. And They Actually Listened.

My parents didn't just check that we were reading — they asked about what we were reading.

If I was deep in Five Go to Smuggler's Top, they'd ask what was happening in the story. What the best bit was. They made sure to show me they were interested, not just say it.

I try to do this with my own kids now. I'll be honest — I'm not always that invested in the plot of Dog Man. But what I genuinely am interested in is hearing about what lights them up. Listening to them talk about their books tells me so much about who they are, and it helps me know what to hand them next.

— what floats their boat matters more than the plot

Books Were Just... Everywhere

Our house wasn’t big but it was stacked with bookshelves and piles of books all over the house - in the downstairs toilet, above the TV unit, on random tables. We could grab whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.

Even when it wasn't exactly age-appropriate. I still remember being ten, pulling a Jilly Cooper off the shelf, reading a page, thinking "WOAAAHHH," and quietly putting it right back. But it helped me to realise there was excitement hidden behind the pages of the books stacked on our bookshelves.

They also took us to the library regularly, and every single school holiday, day one was a trip to the bookshop.

— access, not pressure

Passing It On

It wasn’t complicated and didn’t involve pressure or rewards charts.

Just a few habits that we stuck to, and here are the things I’m doing with my children too:

• Always have a book on you — no exceptions, no excuses

• Ask about what they're reading — and actually listen to the answer

• Keep books everywhere — make them as accessible as the TV remote

• Make libraries and bookshops a normal part of life, not a special treat