Why So Many Kids Say “I Hate Reading” And How We Change the Story

Here’s a surprising fact: Most American adults read below a sixth-grade level.

That’s not because children don’t start out loving stories. Most toddlers beg for bedtime books. Preschoolers sit wide-eyed during read-alouds. Kids are naturally drawn to stories.

So what happens? School happens.

In traditional classrooms, reading instruction follows a rigid, standardized pace. First graders read first-grade books. Second graders read second-grade books. Third graders read third-grade books. On paper, that sounds logical.

But real children don’t learn on spreadsheets.

What if a child is still reading at a first-grade level in third grade? The class moves on anyway. That child is suddenly behind, asked to read out loud in front of peers, and labeled as “struggling.” Anxiety kicks in. Confidence drops. And before long, you hear the heartbreaking sentence:

“I hate reading.”

Sometimes that shows up as acting silly in class. Sometimes as avoidance. Sometimes as behavior challenges. But underneath it all is the same root problem:

A system moving at a standardized pace instead of the pace of the child.

And that creates an anti-reading culture — which is a tragedy. Because the #1 goal of early reading isn’t hitting a grade-level benchmark.

It’s creating a lifelong love of reading. So What Actually Works?

It’s simpler than most people think:

📚 Read to your child every day

📖 Have your child read to you every day

🎧 Use audiobooks to support tougher texts

❤️ Go at the child’s pace — not a chart’s pace

As long as the habit is there, the love grows. No third grader needs to be graded on reading ability. They just need to be reading daily so that by 18, reading feels natural, confident, and enjoyable.

How We Build Readers at Creative STEAM

At Creative STEAM Academy, reading is never a race. It’s a relationship.

That’s why we have novel studies in every class starting in TK. Students are read to, they read independently at their level, and they meet weekly to discuss the story. They share opinions, predictions, favorite characters, and big ideas.

And here’s the magic:

They look forward to it.

Because reading becomes social. Fun. Meaningful. Personal.

Not stressful. Not embarrassing. Not forced.

Raising Lifelong Readers

When children feel safe to read at their own pace, they grow confident. When they hear great stories daily, they develop curiosity. When they’re invited to share their thoughts, they feel smart.

That’s how you raise readers.

Not by rushing.

Not by comparing.

But by loving stories together.

And that’s exactly what we’re building at Creative STEAM one joyful reader at a time.