Engaging Reluctant Readers
Tired of the nightly reading battles? Struggling to get your child to open a book because they refuse to read at all costs? Maybe they can read but just don’t want to, or perhaps they struggle with the basics, making reading feel frustrating and exhausting. Or maybe books just can’t compete with screens, sports, or other distractions. No matter the reason, you’re not alone—and more importantly, you’re not failing as a parent.
Welcome to Engaging Reluctant Readers—the podcast for book-loving moms raising reluctant readers. Hosted by Ellen Westbrook, a Literacy Coach (and recovering reluctant reader herself!), this show is here to help you transform your child’s reading journey from dread to must-be read and rediscover family reading fun along the way.
As a mom of two high-energy boys with a degree in Elementary Education, Ellen gets it—the frustration, the worry, and the endless search for ways to make books click for your child. She’s here to bridge the gap between your love of reading and your kiddo’s resistance, helping you understand why they struggle and, more importantly, what actually works.
You won’t find complicated reading strategies or one-size-fits-all advice here. Instead, Ellen shares real-life strategies that fit into your busy days and make reading feel fun instead of forced. From creative ways to build stamina, confidence, and reading skills to strategies that make books more engaging and spark a genuine love of reading, every episode is designed to help you make real progress—without the fights, tears, or frustration.
Each episode is under 30 minutes, packed with actionable tips, and released every Thursday—so you can get quick wins without adding more to your already-full plate.
Because reading should feel fun, not like a chore—and every step forward, no matter how small, is worth celebrating.
Hit follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode, and let’s rediscover family reading fun—together!
Engaging Reluctant Readers
How to Set Reading Goals That Actually Stick
You’ve hit reset on your summer reading expectations—now what? If you’re wondering how to turn that fresh start into real momentum without adding more to your plate, this episode is for you.
In this episode of the Engaging Reluctant Readers Podcast, Ellen Westbrook shares how to create simple, flexible reading goals that build confidence and ownership—without turning books into a chore. You’ll learn how to make goals fun, track progress in ways that work for your kid, and build reading habits that last well beyond summer.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why traditional reading goals often backfire—and what works better
- How to set goals based on curiosity, not just page counts
- Creative ways to track progress without pressure
- A 4-step goal-setting process your child can actually enjoy
⏳ Key Episode Highlights:
[00:01:03] The mindset shift: why reading goals should feel like nudges, not assignments
[00:01:38] Why reading goals shouldn’t be a numbers game–and what to focus on instead
[00:02:22] How to tell if tracking tools will help or hinder your child
[00:03:07] Let your child pick their own goal—and why it doesn’t need to be perfect
[00:03:38] 4-step reading goal formula you can try this week
[00:04:59] A free Mini Goal Planner to help your child set and stick with their goal
[00:05:49] Sneak peek at next week’s episode
📖 Prefer to Read? Full blog post: https://engagingreluctantreaders.com/2025/08/07/reading-goals-that-stick/
📺 Prefer to Watch? YouTube video version: https://youtu.be/XrjNhkOKdF8
✨ FREEBIE ALERT!
Grab your Mini Reading Goal Planner—a simple, customizable tool to help your child set, track, and celebrate their reading wins.
📥 Get it here → https://bit.ly/MiniGoalPlanner
🎧Love the podcast? Hit the 5⭐to leave a rating & review!
It helps get this podcast out in front of more moms that need to hear it, so we can help more reluctant readers learn to love books and put an end to the nightly battles around reading!
Resources:
Follow on Instagram
Follow the Facebook Page
Join the Engaging Reluctant Readers Tribe (Facebook Group)
Follow on Pinterest
Subscribe to the Engaging Reluctant Readers YouTube Channel
✨Grab your Reading Bucket List Bundle today!
[00:00:00] Ellen: Welcome to the Engaging Reluctant Readers Podcast. I'm Ellen Westbrook, your host, and Recovering Reluctant Reader. Together, we'll tackle reading roadblocks with personalized strategies and out of the box ideas. All while rediscovering the joy of family reading fun. Ready to transform your child's view of reading from Dread to Must Be Read?
[00:00:18] Let's dive into today's episode.
[00:00:25] If last week's episode had you nodding along, realizing that your summer reading plan hit a few snags, hey, that's not a problem. Noticing what's not working is actually the first step toward finding out what will. This week, we're taking that clarity and turning it into simple, doable action steps because now that you've taken a breath and maybe reset those expectations a bit, it's time to look ahead and ask, how do we keep the reading momentum going without burning out?
[00:00:48] In this episode, we're digging into how to set reading goals that actually stick the kind that feel fun and flexible, instead of turning reading into just another chore. I'll walk you through what really makes a goal work, spoiler alert; it's not just about numbers. I'll also talk about how to track progress without turning it into a spreadsheet situation, and how to build small habits now that can boost your child's confidence as we head into the school year, without adding anything more to your already full plate.
[00:01:13] Alright, let's dive in.
[00:01:14] Let's start with the why behind setting reading goals in the first place, because let's be real, that word "goals" can feel a little heavy, like we're about to bust out spreadsheets or start logging every minute with a timer. None of which screams fun. But that's not what we're doing here.
[00:01:28] A reading goal is just a gentle nudge. It gives your child a little direction, something to aim for without turning reading into a performance or a task to check off for a grade. And when kids can actually see their progress, like adding a sticker to a chart or dropping a bead in a jar, it lights something up in their brains. It feels good, satisfying, and that tiny sense of progress, it builds momentum.
[00:01:48] But even more important than motivation, it builds ownership. Instead of reading just because you said so, they start to see themselves as someone who chooses to read, someone who's growing their reading muscles one small step at a time, and that mindset shift is where the magic really starts.
[00:02:03] Okay, let's talk about making reading goals fun and actually fit into real life situations. First things first, ditch the numbers. Game. Reading five books doesn't automatically make your kid a superstar. And reading that same story 10 times doesn't mean that they're slacking. The win isn't about more, it's about reading with intention.
[00:02:20] So instead of asking, how many books did they read? Think about, how they clicked with the stories:
[00:02:25] Are they exploring new genres?
[00:02:27] Are they grabbing a book without being asked?
[00:02:29] Have you noticed them showing more confidence or curiosity as they read?
[00:02:33] Now, you can definitely use tracking tools like sticker charts, buddy systems or apps like Beanstack, especially if your school or library already uses it. There's also Bookly or Bookmory, both of which offer a great visual reminder of progress, and that can be super motivating for some kids.
[00:02:47] But I wanna take a pause. This can also backfire for some kids, especially if the goal feels too big or if life gets in the way. The key is knowing what works for your kids.
[00:02:55] Take my boys for example. JD loves a checklist and measurable goals. Checking off boxes really lights him up. Hunter, on the other hand, he just isn't into tracking. He doesn't have the patience to add stickers or color in little sections, one at a time. He wants to do it all at once, and he doesn't really see the point of making progress slowly, but he does still love cuddling up for a story at bedtime.
[00:03:15] For him, a simpler goal like reading for the next three nights gives him something to look forward to. It also gives me a gentle way to check in, if our rhythm starts to slip. I can say, "Hey buddy, we planned to read tonight instead of screens, what's up? Were you too tired? Was the book boring?" And that [00:03:30] opens the door to figure out what needs tweaking.
[00:03:32] Now here's the part I really love. Let your kid pick their own mini-goal. Something simple like finish one graphic novel. Try an audio book this weekend, or start a new series before school starts. And listen, this isn't some ironclad contract. If they change their mind or hit a rough patch, the goal can shift. It's not a big deal. This is just a little experiment to see what sticks.
[00:03:50] Now if you're someone that likes to see this all written out, or you wanna come back to this later without having to re-listen. I've got a full blog post version of this episode and it lays out each step and idea in a quick, skimmable way. You'll find the link to the blog post in the description.
[00:04:03] Now let's walk through a quick little goal setting exercise, something you can do in just a few minutes to give your child direction and help make reading time feel easier.
[00:04:11] Step one. Have them choose a simple target. This could be something like read three times a week, or try a new author, or finish that book that they started in June, but never got back to.
[00:04:21] Step two. Pick a way to track it. Now, this doesn't have to be anything fancy. It could be stickers on a calendar, a row of beads in a jar, a whiteboard checklist on the fridge, or even a simple app, if that's more your thing.
[00:04:31] Step three. Decide when you'll check in. A quick Sunday night chat works great. Take just a few minutes to ask, "How did reading go to this week?," "What felt fun, what didn't?"
[00:04:41] And then step four. Celebrate the wins. This might mean letting your child stay up a little later to finish a chapter, planning a trip to the library, or simply saying, "Hey buddy, I saw you kept reading even when that got kind of hard. That's really cool." Or "That part was tough, but you stuck with it. Nice job, kiddo!"
[00:04:57] You can even set a goal as a family if you want. Something like, let's read together three nights this week. Keep it simple. Keep it shared.
[00:05:04] Alright, before we wrap up, let's take a step back for a second. Last week we talked about resetting expectations. Really getting clear on what's getting in the way of reading and letting go of all that pressure.
[00:05:14] That was step one. This week it's about gently adding a little structure back in. You don't need a full blown summer reading plan. You just need a bit of direction and one small next step.
[00:05:24] If you'd like a little help figuring out that next step, I put together a mini goal planner to go with this episode. It walks you through everything we just talked about and gives you a simple, flexible template that you can use with your kid. You'll find the link in the episode description if you wanna check it out.
[00:05:36] So go ahead. Pick one reading goal to try this week. Just one. Maybe it's something for your child. Maybe it's something for you. Or maybe it's a small family rhythm you wanna test out, like picking a book to read together a few nights a week. Whatever it is, remember, small steps build habits. Those tiny wins stack up. And the more you keep the pressure low, the easier it'll be for your child to head into the school year without that reading dread creeping back in.
[00:06:00] And hey, if you do set a goal this week, I'd love to hear about it. You can DM me over on Instagram @engagingreluctantreaders or shoot me an email at ellen@engagingreluctantreaders.com and let me know what you're trying. You've got this, mama. Keep stacking those tiny wins and I'll talk to you next time,
[00:06:14] Next week, we're diving into one of those moments that can totally catch you off guard, when your child flat out refuses to read aloud. If you've been there, you know how frustrating and confusing it can feel. But here's the thing, it's usually not about defiance. It's about something deeper like fear, shame, or just plain overwhelm.
[00:06:31] We'll unpack everything that might really be going on beneath the surface and walk through calm, confidence-building ways to respond, so read aloud, time can feel safe and supportive again. If read aloud, time has turned into a power struggle or a total shutdown, you're not gonna wanna miss this one.
[00:06:46] Thanks so much for tuning into today's episode. If you're loving the Engaging Reluctant Readers podcast, I'd be so grateful. If you could take a second to leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more families find their way to feel good reading wins and real world strategies that work.
[00:07:00] And if today's episode got you thinking about setting a reading goal, that actually sticks, I've got just the thing. I created a free resource called the Mini Reading Goal Planner. It's a super simple tool that you can use to help your child set track, and celebrate a goal that fits right where they are. You'll find the link in the description and even more goal setting tips over on the blog.
[00:07:16] Until next time, this is Ellen Westbrook cheering you on through every tiny win, every messy middle, and every page you read to