15 Minutes to Achieving Dreams | Season 2, Episode 10

TD Flenaugh emphasizes the importance of reading 15 minutes daily with children to foster their dreams and goals. She outlines a three-step process: setting the stage for reading, ensuring consistent daily reading, and documenting progress. The environment should be free from distractions, and reading material can be varied, including comics and graphic novels. Parents should engage positively, providing four positives for every correction. Consistency is key, with reading sessions scheduled early in the day. Flenaugh also promotes the use of his "Rewrite Method" to improve writing skills. The goal is to make reading a fun, engaging part of family life, which will benefit children in their future endeavors.

Transcript

TD Flenaugh: 0:00

15 minutes every day will make a difference with your child achieving their dream, those family goals from spinning, from just wonderful thoughts into actual reality. I know parents, you are busy, you're tired and your kids are annoying, I know, but we have to be intentional about how we spend our time with our kids. The goal is for us to be preparing them for the next stage. So five years into the future, we're preparing them now, and so you don't want to miss this episode, because we're going to get into how to make it happen. Hi. Thank you so much for joining the Falling for Learning podcast. We have this podcast to help parents and caregivers with having the resources, strategies and tools needed to make sure that their children are on track for learning and to stay on track for success. Okay, let's get into it, guys, this is a special episode, because we're going to talk about how reading 15 minutes every day is going to set the stage for your child's dreams and goals to come out of their minds and into your actual reality, the the life that they live, right fulfilling their promise and their potential. So let's set the stage. You need to do your setup, your reading setup. You then need to, number two, do your actual reading, like actually do it. And number two, number three, get into the actual recording of it. And when I'm saying recording, I mean, document it. So number one, when we start with the setup, that means that you are setting the environment for reading. You have the book and you have the place. Now I'm not talking about something fancy. I'm talking about, you know, having the book or whatever reading material you have. I know some people do electronic materials. That's fine that you're reading, but you have it, you know exactly where it is. It's in your hands, and you have a location that is as free from distraction as possible. And again, it could be the back of the back seat of your vehicle while another one of your kids is actually in their soccer practice or something like that. It doesn't have to be a fancy location, but you want to make sure the stage is set for positivity, a positive mood, right? It's not you want to get in there and read it. Let's read together, and you are setting that purpose for reading. And again, it could be something that is funny. Let's read this funny book. Let's read this funny article. It could be something that is interesting to them, right? Doesn't have to be really academic. It can be, but it doesn't have to be. But what we're talking about is 15 minutes every day. We have spent hours scrolling on social media. Some of us, we have gossiped for 15 minutes we spent that time. We have spent hours watching our favorite shows, and we spend at least 15 minutes, sometimes us and at our kids. So we want to be intentional about this. Now I want to address it, because some people will say, Well, you know, the teacher says, Read, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 you know, I've heard all different spans, but I'm saying 15 minutes because some of us are doing zero minutes. We don't have anything going on as far as building our children up intellectually. So maybe what we need to be thinking of is, how do we get into the practice? So that's why I'm saying 15 minutes, and I guarantee you that this time, if you make it engaging and consistent, right? Not mean not something they gotta do because they acted up, or whatever it is, fun and engaging and consistent. I guarantee you your child will be reading for longer than 15 minutes, but this is you reading with them or to them, right? Because we have a span of age is without you. Children, and then eventually it'll be reading from them. You'll be listening to them read, okay? They'll be able to read to you. So 15 minutes, you are engaged with your child. So this is what I'm talking about, the consistency of every day. So obviously you need to set that stage. And part of that setting that stage is making sure there's a time. And pro tip, make sure it's early. Why should it be early? Well, because you want to make sure that you're not going to miss it. So things happen. We know our times, our lives do not run perfectly, and our schedules don't go always as planned, but if we set it early, early in the day, if we have a mess up, then we have a time to make up that time so we could have that consistency of 15 minutes a day engaging your child with reading. Now some people may say, Well, what does this have to do with making our child's dreams come true? Because maybe their job, you know, they're not related to reading, or you don't think it's related to reading. But the thing is that 15 minutes of consistency spreads to other parts of your life, and every child should know how to read, and it is partially the parent's responsibility to make sure they're reading on grade level, and the way that you do that is consistently supporting them with reading at home, so not telling them they go they better go Over there in that corner and read. But you are 15 minutes every day engaging with your child with reading. You're reading to them, if they're young enough, reading with them, and that can be all ages. Read with them, meaning that they read a little bit, and you read a little bit. It doesn't matter if they are 17, seven years old, you can read a little bit and they can read a little bit. Okay, so that was part one, is making sure that you set up the stage, right, that atmosphere of positivity, having the place where they're reading and actually having a reading material, you know? So let's get to stage two. Stage two has to do with making sure you're actually doing the reading, like actually sitting down and doing the reading for the 15 minutes. Now, set that timer right, and let's get into the reading. And during the reading, I would like for you, right? And I this is tried and true stuff, so this is not just some you know idea that you know. So I did this with my children. I've done this also with nephews and nieces, so and my students. So I know that this works 15 minutes a day. And obviously I didn't read it with my couldn't read my students every day, but you as parents, every day, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, is a normal part of your family life. And again, it could be reading a recipe, it could be reading about a video game, it could be a cartoon or a graphic novel, or anything like that. So I'm not saying it has to be a certain type of reading, but you want to make sure they're engaged, that they're positive, that you are giving them positive feedback. Now maybe again, your child doesn't read well, they're not on grade level, so you're not criticizing them. You are helping them when they don't know a word. And side note, if your child is one of those children who want to struggle through, give them that space and that grace to struggle through. One thing that really irritated me when I was a kid, and I've seen lots of kids irritated by this is when people want to always tell us the word we're trying to sound it out. Oh, it's just, you know, dinosaur. It's like I was sounding it out. And if that's what they want to do, give them that space and that grace. Because, again, we are preparing our children for five years down the rock the line. We are preparing them to be independent. We are preparing them to not need us, right? But, of course, keep that relationship intact. So again, keep it positive. Now, if they are okay with getting help, don't make the mistake of giving too much help, right? I'm going to read all of this, and they are nine years old, and you're reading everything to them, right? No, you're going to read a paragraph. I'll read a paragraph, right? And if they're a hesitant reader, of course, you can read, you know, half of the page, or three quarters of the page, and then they read a little bit. You can read together. Better, right? So you can start with reading more than them, and slowly but surely, read half of it. And then, of course, working yourself out of a job. They can be reading more than you're reading, but let them go at their own pace. Keep it consistent and keep it fun. So don't, you know, make demands, talk to them in a mean way. And even when you are helping them read, say, good job. Keep going. You're doing good, right? Even though they might be making lots of mistakes and missing lots of words, it's positive, right? And try to do the ratio of four to one, so four positives with one correction, so you are doing more positivity and complimenting than you're doing negatives. This is essential. Again. You want to make sure it's a positive and a fun, engaging experience books that they're interested in, topics that they're interested in. So again, if you don't have library books, books at home, obviously, I'm going to the library. We're going to the library getting free opportunities to read. You also can get them audiobooks and stuff like that, or other reading times. But when you're reading with them. It's you reading a little bit and then reading a little bit, or they are reading totally to you, if they're ready, when they're ready for that for 15 minutes, like I guarantee you, they're going to be wanting to read more than that, as long as you keep stay consistent and you keep it engaging and fun, I guarantee you, so they are able to choose the books that they want to read. You're not demanding that they read certain types of books. Parents, parents. Many of us make it a, you know, some of us, you know, really serious. We make it a they have to read a type of book. Lots of people told me my my parents wouldn't let me read comics. They wouldn't let me read this. You can allow them to read for this for 15 minutes. Of course, they have school assignments or different things that they have to do. It doesn't matter the age. They could read something funny, engaging, interesting to them, even if they're just reading about a celebrity. You know, as they get older, it's okay give them that creativity, that choice. I always put choice and creativity together, because again, they'll start thinking about things that they could read, and they'll start thinking and coming up with ideas. So it's not just coming from you, and you are not talking negatively about what it is. Let's say they want to read about a celebrity you don't really like. So what? Keep it to yourself, make it fun and engaging for them. Okay, so the last part is pretty simple. It is documenting. It earlier I was like saying recording, but of course, documenting could come in the form of recording. And I'm not talking about the whole 15 minutes. I'm talking about take a picture, do a little less than one minute video, so that you are showing that you're reading, and talk about the topic that you read, or the name of the title of what you've read and the date, right? So that you're documenting your progress in some way. It could all be paper and pencil written down in a journal or something like that. Okay, so while you're reading, this is done, you don't have to do it afterward. So what? Everything is contained in that 15 minutes, okay? And another thing about the reading, engage with the text in some way. So there's three different ways that you can do this. You can, of course, ask questions of your child while they're reading. You could let them ask questions. You could get some questions answered because, again, if they're choosing this because they want to know more about volcanoes, then they are maybe asking the questions about volcanoes. Or you are, you know, also going through the facts. And I'm only talking about three things, only three things that you need to do. So you could choose one of each of one of these, or you could choose all three of them to do. 75% of children don't know how to write. Well, add that to the fact that so many people out there are trying to silence the voices of those who have been oppressed and trying to prevent them from telling their story. Who's going to tell your story if your child doesn't know how to write. Well, I have two books to address this issue, the rewrite method and the rewrite method workbook. Pretend to make sure that parents know what to do, that educators know what to do to get their children to write better and just not write better, but love to write, make sure that your next generation could tell. Of their story, and they won't be silenced. Go to falling for learning.com today to purchase your set, as we are talking about really making sure that we are helping our children's dreams come true, we need to understand that this is a process. This is not going to start out perfectly, so be patient in this process. Be patient with your child again, as long as you keep it engaging and consistent, this is going to be successful. Your child will be successful, and this consistency will spread to other parts of their learning journey and other parts of your life. Okay, so what are some things that go wrong? Sometimes right? Maybe there's another child or something happened, you have to stop the reading, right? So that's okay. Get back to it. Do eight more minutes later on in the day, and be patient. Maybe your child is very tired, very hungry, whatever it is, bad mood, having a meltdown. Give them space to take that break and then come back to it for the eight minutes, because some of our children aren't ready developmentally for the whole 15 minutes at first, so it's our job to help build them up to the 15 minutes and then keep it consistent. And then it could be 15 minutes in one setting, like I said, But or you're just adding the seven minutes here, eight minutes there until you are doing the 15 minutes consistently in one sitting. And I guarantee you it will expand. They'll want to read more themselves, by themselves, independently, but you keep it to 15 minutes where you're engaging with them, reading you are reading to them, they're reading to you. And eventually, well, yeah, you're reading to them and they're reading to you. But again, you can keep it reading with them for their whole lifespan, because, you know, it is something that that is collaborative and fun. And again, you need to make sure that you are listening to your child read. I want to really stress, this is not about you going to watch television, scroll through social media while your child is reading over there in the corner, quietly. You do need to hear them read. You do need to hear if they are having problems with multi syllabic words, like words with a lot of different syllables, long words, you need to hear that. You need to hear that if they keep getting the same sight word incorrect, and you help them correct it, you need to hear if they're reading very slow, sounding out every word you need to hear that you need to hear their progress, and you will be noticing their progress. Right part of recording is, again, you could write down the pages that they're reading. Now, of course, it could be just two pages because they're slow or whatever, or there's a lot of distractions going on. Okay? So it is important that you are part of the process and it's fun and it's engaging, but make sure that you give them a lot of choice, right? So they could be creative, and they could be really looking forward to what they're reading, not because you made them read a book, and if they get tired of the book, they don't like the book, it's okay. They can read something else. So in that case, if you know your child is not really focused on a particular book or doesn't like that book that much, then maybe have three or four books ready, or articles. Whatever you're reading again, is okay, even if you're reading how to put together something that is some reading material. Again, as you do this, more and more, you can direct it towards what they're interested in and directly towards their goal. If they want to be working on building things, you're reading things about how to construct and assemble things. If they want to be a person that sells things, read books about sales if they want to know about dinosaurs and on and on. And it could change around all the time. Maybe they're reading about a celebrity or musician one day, another time they're reading about a. A visual artist, another time they want to read some poetry, another time they want to read a graphic novel or comic book. Give them that ability to do that with you. Try not to make it like something that they're in trouble for, something they're upset about, that they've got to read because you're making them even if they have another book they've been assigned that 15 minutes can be about their own choice. Because this is another thing that I have when I have when I teach classes and writing classes and different things like that. Obviously, what writing, it's part of reading. You know, a lot of the writing comes from what people, you know, kids read. I do survey my students about what makes them like writing and reading and literacy and what makes them not like it, and they are able to articulate what I've been seeing as I've been a advisor for schools pre K through 12 is that, as they get older, people suck the fun and enjoyment out of reading and writing, because they just make it about information. They just make it about text. Sorry, test, right state, test and whatever assessment is coming in, they're like, this is what you need to focus on. We don't have time for the fun things, the creative things, and so again, your job is to keep it engaging and to keep it consistent. They will get better. And that ability to read a comic book, to read a graphic novel, is going to translate to informational text now, ow. Some people like, well, they don't know this. This is different about an informational text. This is different. Why? Because the more they read, the better they'll be reading. Right now, if I'm making you read something and I'm upset with you while we're reading it, and it's a punishment to read, then the less I'm going to read. So I'm saying the method of making sure that it stays fun and engaging and positive and consistent is that they are going to be improving. They're wanting to want to improve. They're wanting to read. They're wanting to choose materials. And it will spread to hours reading on their own, not because you've made them, not because you've punished them and you've yelled at them and that you fussed at them, but because it's something you've made fun, you've made engaging, and you've made a regular part of their lives, so it will become a regular part of their personal lives. And I know you're busy, I know you're tired, and I know your kids are annoying, because I have the same thing going on. So but taking that time and being intentional and really talking to them about their goals, because as you're reading, you're asking them questions. They're talking about what they're interested in. They are learning new vocabulary words. So that could be one of the three things, you know, asking questions, answering questions, listing facts or learning new words. So I'm just saying, choose three. Don't make it a huge like, you know, we're going to do 10 words out of this book. We're going to have 10 questions. It doesn't have to be this fun and engaging, positive. And consistent it is very important that you do this, that you are not making this into a punishment. And again, we need to take a break. Let's take a break. If they're feeling irritated that day, take a break. Do it a little bit later, so they know that this is not something that you're pushing on them and being mean to them about it. It's very important 15 minutes, even when you're tired, even when you're busy, and part of recording when you're reading is that you are making sure that you're also taking the time to schedule the next time. And because I'm saying every day, of course, it may not be able, you may not be able to say, okay, every day at 10am every day at seven o'clock in the morning when you you cannot necessarily do that. So that's why you need to say okay. So when are we going to read tomorrow? Tomorrow, we have to go to church. Tomorrow, we have to go to practice. So let's do it right after practice. Let's do it right. Before practice. So we talk about it together and plan it. If you are able to do it the same time every day, wonderful. But if you're not, which you probably won't be able to, most people, then you want to plan right right after your reading or during, you know, choosing those times so that again, it's a natural part of your life, you will choose a natural time together. Like, when are we going to do this? Okay, during breakfast, right before breakfast, right after breakfast, again, start with an early time. So if you have to reschedule, if your time is interrupted, that you have more time to make up later. Now, if I'm setting the time for eight o'clock at night, if I don't get to it, that's it. You are not able to be consistent. So setting it earlier in the day is going to be better right after school, right before school, 15 minutes, 15 minutes. And I want to say to some of those parents who have different schedules than your children, there are a lot of issues about how that's harmful, but what I really want to say so make sure that the time is consistent, every day, every day, even you're tired, even when you're feeling super busy, find time. Your child will probably start reminding you of it. So take that time, and it could be anywhere, if it's in the doctor's office, do the 15 minutes while you're waiting for the doctor. I mean, it could be any time, and it's a natural part. Keep those books with you. It is so important 15 minutes. We waste that time even when we're busy. We do waste that time. We waste 15 minutes a day. So be intentional about 15 minutes a day of making sure that you are preparing your child for their future by reading, and again, it will transfer to other parts of their lives, and that you know you're going to have to read, even if you want to be a computer programmer, right? You're going to have to figure out the reading you're going to have to learn new vocabulary, and the reading skills will transfer to whatever they want to do. And the consistency of working on a skill is going to transfer to other parts of their lives as well. Make sure that you're doing something today that your future self will thank you for thanks again for supporting the falling for learning podcast. New Episodes go live every Saturday at 5pm you can watch us on youtube.com at falling for learning or listen on all major podcast platforms such as Apple, Google, Audible, Spotify and much more. For more resources, visit falling in love with learning.com we really appreciate you. Have a wonderful week.