My child hates writing and finds it difficult. How do I get them to do more creative writing at home?
Teaching children to write is an important part of their education. It helps them develop their communication skills and improves their ability to express themselves.
However, some children find writing to be extremely difficult and struggle with finding the right words. Some children also struggle with spelling and this puts them off writing completely. If your child dislikes writing, they may feel anxious about getting it wrong or not meeting your expectations. If this sounds like your child, you can help by encouraging them to do more creative writing practice at home.
Here are some tips that should hopefully make things easier for the both of you.
Try not to put your child off by insisting he/she does complicated assignments.
Don't put your child off by insisting he/she does complicated assignments.
Don't make it seem like writing is a chore or punishment to be endured, but rather something to be enjoyed and explored.
Encourage him/her to write about topics he/she enjoys.
You can encourage your child to do creative writing practice at home by encouraging him or her to write about topics he or she enjoys. The more your child enjoys what he/she is writing about, the more he or she will want to write. And if he or she is enjoying what he or she is writing about, then that means that his/her creative side will be stimulated, too.
You'll notice that when you're reading and talking with your child about their practice pieces (or even just their favorite ones), they'll get excited and talk more enthusiastically—and that's a big sign that they've been practicing creatively.
So how do you know if something interests them? Asking questions like "What are some things you like doing?" can help get this process started. You can also encourage them to find out new things through books and other media (like TV shows). If there's something they want to learn more about in particular, encourage them by letting them know how much fun it could be when they find out more information on their own instead of relying on what others have told them; this way there'll be no doubt as far as whether learning new things is worth their time - which means no excuses from practicing creativity at home either!
Don't be afraid to help them find the right words.
When your child is writing, it's okay for you to suggest better phrasing, or ask them why they’ve chosen to use a certain word. If they are struggling with spelling or grammar, ask them to proofread their work but do so I’m a way that is firm yet polite. Helping your child to learn how to proofread is important for their own academic and personal growth. It will also help them to develop positive lifelong writing skills.
Be encouraging and praise your child’s efforts.
Don't compare your child to others. If you're unsure of how to handle your child’s writing difficulties, talk to their teacher about it. He or she may be able to help you avoid setting unrealistic expectations for success by sharing what he or she thinks is reasonable for your individual child.
Don't expect perfection from your child. It's important not to become too critical of the work that he or she does at home, as this can lead children down a road that is not conducive to creative writing practice—and in some cases will even stop them from continuing altogether. The most helpful thing that parents can do when helping their kids with their creative writing practice is encourage them and praise their efforts and progress.
Avoid giving up if your child is struggling: everyone learns in different ways. Some children may need more time than others; while they might have trouble understanding some concepts at first (such as grammar), repetition will eventually make these concepts easier for them overall.
Support your child's writing efforts by reading what they've written.
One thing to remember is that not all children will want to share their writing with others. Some children are very private and may feel like they're "showing off" if they read something aloud. In such instances, you can still be supportive by letting them know how proud you are of them for writing such an amazing story and reading it over with them when they're ready.
If your child wants feedback, try asking questions about the work—what does this mean? Why did the narrator do that? What does this character look like? How would you change the beginning of your story? If there are typos or grammatical mistakes (and there usually are), point those out gently so that your child doesn't get discouraged from trying again next time.
Remember: we all have our own style of communication; what one person finds helpful might not work for another person in similar circumstances.
Let your child see you reading different books and in different places.
If you want your child to be a creative writer, then it's important for them to see you reading. Being an active reader is something that can be done anywhere, anytime. Your child doesn't have to be around a book or computer screen all day long in order for them to develop their own creativity. Reading can be done in groups or individually, so there are no excuses not to read! Reading is also a great way for children and teens alike to relax and unwind after a long day at school or work.
Get children writing early, even when they can only scribble!
Get the kids writing early, even when they can only scribble! Start by having them write letters and words. If they're old enough to write, encourage them to write stories about their interests or favourite toys. Encourage them to write about what they did over the weekend with you or their friends/family members at school or out in the community. Ask your child's teacher to help put together a creative writing project that incorporates everyone in class; this could include poems and short stories written by each student as part of a classwide collaborative piece.
Look for ways for your child's interests and talents (whether that’s through science experiments, sports teams, art projects) feed into their creative writing practice at home—this will hopefully become motivation enough for them to continue working on these types of things on their own!
By encouraging writing at home, you are giving lots of ways for your child to practice creative writing skills.
One of the best ways to help your child develop good writing skills is to get him or her involved in creative writing practice at home.
Encourage your child's writing by giving them many opportunities to write, without putting pressure on them to do complicated assignments.
Take care not to put off your child with strict rules about what they can and cannot write about - encourage him/her instead!
Conclusion
If you want your child to be a creative writer, be proactive in encouraging them to improve their writing skills. It’s important to be patient with them, to be positive and encouraging. If you want to help your child in a way that’s fun and hassle-free, grab a copy of our Superb Stories programme which enables them to master excellent writing skills in as little as a week.