Ever met one of those kids who listens right away, all the way, every time?

Ya, me neither.

If you are like me, your requests are either met with a disappearing ninja act or at the very least, with the enthusiasm of a sloth on a Monday morning – am I right?!

This is often true of kids when it comes to reading as well. As soon as you mention any ideas like,

“Hey! I’d love to hear you read your new book!” or “Your teacher said we should be practicing more reading at home. Let’s practice!”

…your child runs away faster than they do when someone comments that they forgot to eat their vegetables!

In this post, I am going to share with you exactly why your child avoids tasks like reading and what to do about it so that you can stop repeating yourself over and over…and over and over.

 

So here’s the thing. Your child’s brain development has a lot to do with their task avoidance. We  expect our kids to get started on any task we want them to do right away, because in our minds, “It doesn’t take that long!”

But a big part of this is that a child’s brain hasn’t developed enough to understand how long something will take and so naturally, they want to delay it because in their minds, it will last for hours.

So a big part of getting them to sit down to read, or tidy up the toys is about helping their minds wrap around how long it’s actually going to take.

The fancy term for this is “task initiation” which basically means “I can get started on a task quickly without procrastinating.” and boy, can it be a struggle, especially for kids with ADHD.

Task initiation is one of many executive functioning skills that our brains don’t fully develop until we’re 25 (and many procrastinating adults would argue…even later!)

Task initiation plays a huge role in our kid’s responses to tasks being asked of them. Understanding this is crucial in helping them overcome task avoidance tendencies, whether it’s reading or tidying up their space.

How To Improve Task Initiation Skills

As parents, we play a key role in helping our kids develop this skill. One of the best ways to help your kids develop task initiation skills is by recording exactly how long something takes.

If your child is moaning, groaning and seeming defeated when you ask them to read or tidy up their room, follow it up with: “How long do you think it takes to read a chapter?”

They will likely respond with an exaggerated number of some kind but in light of what we just talked about in terms of their brain development, just roll with it.

Write it down and then say, “Ok we are going to time it and see if you are right!”

This may be met with more groans or maybe if your child has a competitive nature, they may jump at the challenge.

When they finish the task, compare how long it actually took with their guess.

As you continue doing this, your child’s estimates will become more accurate and they will have a better attitude about doing these things because they’ll understand how long the task actually takes.

To help you with this, I’ve created a free time tracking chart. This valuable tool will help your child develop better task initiation skills, whether it’s for reading or any other activity.

On the back page of this download, you will have a place to record all of the tasks so that you can eventually use it as a resource for them to say, “Hey look! Emptying the dishwasher only took 5 minutes when we timed it last time. If you get started now, you’ll be done at about 10:35!”

Download Your Free Time Tracking Chart

While task initiation is crucial for getting started with reading, sometimes there’s more to the story when a child consistently avoids reading. Let’s dive deeper into a common underlying issue: phonemic awareness.

There’s growing and growing evidence that most kids who struggle like this with reading lack the skill of “phonemic awareness”. It’s another fancy term that basically means “I can break down a word into its tiniest sound parts and put it back together”.

These skills have unfortunately not been focused on in schools for the last few decades and the research is showing, quite obviously, that kids have suffered because of it.

Many schools and school boards are listening to the research though and are starting to turn the train around, but in the world of schools, this can take years to fully embrace.

Here’s the silver lining: you can intervene and make a significant difference in your child’s reading journey.

And guess what? Children with dyslexia and reading disabilities have shown remarkable progress by developing these phonemic awareness skills.

Introducing the Reading Rescue Blueprint

If you’ve noticed your child struggling with phonemic awareness, you’re not alone. Many parents face this challenge, which is why I’ve developed the Reading Rescue Blueprint course.

This innovative course is designed to build your child’s phonemic awareness skills in just 15 minutes a day. Here’s what makes it special:

So how do you know if this is the cause of your child’s reading struggles and what should you do about it?

Look out for habits like guessing words based on one letter or relying heavily on pictures when stuck on a word. These habits signal a need for targeted intervention. It’s a tell-tale sign that they need some stronger phonemic awareness skill development.

To help you identify if your child needs support with phonemic awareness, I’ve prepared a free guide called “Unlocking Literacy: 3 Habits To Break To Overcome Reading Challenges.” It includes practical strategies and a handy quiz to assess your child’s phonemic awareness level.

Download Your Free Reading Struggles Guide

Wrapping Up

I hope you found this post valuable in addressing both task initiation and reading challenges. Remember, whether it’s getting started on a task or tackling reading difficulties, you have the power to make a significant difference in your child’s development.

Which area do you think your child struggles with more – task initiation or phonemic awareness? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

And don’t forget to grab your free resources:

1. Task Initiation Time Tracker
2. Reading Struggles Guide

These tools will help you start making positive changes right away!

Once you start building your child’s task initiation muscles, you will notice a lot less pushback on tasks and will hear your voice on repeat a lot less often!