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
Messy, Fun, and Memorable: The Real Secret to Family Reading Nights
Does the idea of a cozy family reading night sound wonderful in theory—but totally impossible in your real life? Between sports practices, dishes, and bedtime meltdowns, it can feel like there’s no way to add one more thing. But family reading nights don’t have to be perfect (or even quiet) to be powerful.
In this episode of the Engaging Reluctant Readers Podcast, Ellen Westbrook shares how family reading nights can bring connection, laughter, and calm—even if your evenings are anything but picture-perfect. From unplanned story pile-ups to silly multi-voice read alouds, you’ll discover simple ways to make family reading nights work for your family, in your real world.
What You’ll Learn:
☑️ Why family reading nights matter (even if they’re messy)
☑️ How to start small—without pressure or a “perfect book”
☑️ Simple tweaks to make reading time inviting and fun
☑️ Creative ideas: comfort items, book jars, movie tie-ins, and more
☑️ Why these imperfect moments still leave a lasting impact
⏳ Key Episode Highlights:
[00:00:25] Why evenings feel frantic (and how reading can shift the tone)
[00:01:12] What real-life family reading nights look like (hint: not picture-perfect)
[00:02:16] From divide-and-conquer to a shared family read aloud
[00:04:07] Why the biggest barrier isn’t time—it’s pressure
[00:05:17] Cozy pile-ups, comfort items, and other inviting tweaks
[00:06:19] Fun twists: book jars, family favorites, and book-plus-movie teasers
[00:07:34] Multi-voice read alouds (and why the laughter matters)
[00:08:12] Ripple effects: calmer bedtimes and sibling moments worth savoring
[00:10:34] Why these small, imperfect moments matter more than you think
[00:10:58] Sneak peek at next week’s episode
📖 Prefer to Read? Full blog post: https://engagingreluctantreaders.com/2025/09/25/family-reading-nights/
✨ FREEBIE ALERT!
Grab your Mini Reading Goal Planner—a simple, kid-friendly tool to help your child set goals they’re actually excited about (without pressure or battles).
📥 Get it here → https://engagingreluctantreaders.m-pages.com/minigoalplanner
🎟️ Reset & Read Workshop Replay
If family reading nights—or reading time in general—keep falling apart, the Reset & Read Workshop replay will help you rebuild your reading rhythm in a way that actually sticks.
🎯 Grab the replay here → https://bit.ly/resetandread
🎧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] Do you ever get to the end of the day and just wish your evenings felt a little less frantic? Like instead of bouncing between sports practice, dinner, dishes, and someone melting down over the wrong color pajamas. You could just slow down a little. Maybe end the night with something that actually feels, I don't know, connected. Sounds dreamy, right, and perhaps a little unrealistic after the day you've had.
[00:00:45] But there's something really special about those pockets of calm, especially the ones that don't require a full reset or a new routine, or even a magic wand. Just a moment to share a story with the whole family. It doesn't even have to be structured. It doesn't even have to be quiet.
[00:00:58] That's what we're talking about today. Not another routine to add to your plate, but a way to bring back a little connection, a chance to slow things down or remind your kids, and maybe even yourself too, that the end of the day can be something to look forward to, not just a mad dash to bedtime.
[00:01:12] Okay, family reading nights don't look like the ones in picture books. You know the ones, everyone's in matching pajamas. The lights are dim, the fire's crackling, and somehow there's no laundry in sight. In real life, it's probably one kid dangling off the side of the couch while the other tries to build a pillow fort in the middle of the living room, you're stepping over crumbs, someone's still brushing their teeth, and there's a good chance you're reading over the sound of the dishwasher running in the background. But here's why it still matters. Even in the chaos, it's still a chance to share something together, to hit pause on the whirlwind of the day and carve out even just a little time for something that feels grounding. It gives you a window to connect with your kids in a way that isn't tied to instructions or reminders. You are not managing anything, you're just reading.
[00:01:53] And even if they're flopping around asking random questions mid-paragraph, it still lands. It still tells them,
[00:01:59] Hey, this matters and we're doing it together.
[00:02:02] Sometimes in the middle of the story, they'll ask a question or make a comment that will surprise you. It's as if something that's been on their mind just happens to find their way out through the story. It's not every time, but when it happens, you'll be reminded that these moments are about more than just the book.
[00:02:16] We've always read with the boys, but for a while it felt like bedtime was all about divide and conquer. I'd read with one, my husband would read with the other, and then we'd swap for a quick tuck in and goodnight moment. Both kids were getting reading time, but I started to feel like something was missing, especially with the one I barely saw before lights out. The nights felt rushed, disconnected, like we were checking off the boxes, but not really sharing the moment.
[00:02:36] So one night, instead of splitting up like usual, we all just landed in the same room. No agenda, no right book, just us in one space, letting the story carry us. Within a few minutes, the whole energy of the night had shifted. And that's what keeps me coming back to it. Not because it always goes that well, but because when it does, it's the best part of the day.
[00:02:54] It was such a small thing, but I remember thinking. This is what we've been missing. Not the books, they'd always been there, the feeling of slowing down together. Without even realizing it, they were practicing sitting still longer, listening more closely, following a story that doesn't wrap up in one page. Those muscles build over time just by showing up for the story. Reading like this builds stamina, sure. But it also builds something else, trust. A familiar groove, that, we do this together feeling.
[00:03:19] Of course, even knowing the value of family reading night doesn't always make it easy to pull off. So maybe this idea of reading together sounds great in theory, but when you look at your actual evenings, it's hard to imagine squeezing in one more thing. There's dinner, cleanup, someone's running through the house with one sock on while someone else is asking for a snack, even though they've just brushed their teeth. And by the time everyone's in pajamas, assuming they all are, you're already mentally halfway to bed yourself.
[00:03:43] And if you've tried it before, maybe with the best intentions and it totally fell apart, that's enough to shove the idea straight to the back burner. And I get it, but here's the thing, that doesn't mean you messed it up, and it definitely doesn't mean that it's not worth trying again.
[00:03:57] It just means that life hasn't left any breathing room for it yet. And honestly, that's most of us. You're not the only one whose evenings are held together by leftover spaghetti and last-minute reminders to put shoes by the door.
[00:04:07] I think one of the biggest barriers isn't time. It's the pressure that feeling that if we're going to try something like this, it has to be consistent or it has to look a certain way or it has to be meaningful for it to count. But what if it could just start smaller than that?
[00:04:20] After our first unplanned family reading night that I mentioned earlier, I got stuck in my head for the next few. I thought I had to pick one magical book that was going to change the mood for the whole family. You know that perfect story that would have everyone sitting quietly in a circle, like storytime at the library.
[00:04:34] But in reality, most of the time we just grab a book from the pile, diving into a picture book or beginning with a single chapter. Sometimes only one of the boys is into it and the others on the floor fiddling with a toy.
[00:04:44] Every now and then they're both into it. Maybe one's hanging upside down off the couch or there's a foot in my face, but they're in it. And if I'm really lucky, my husband's leaning in too.
[00:04:53] Other times I'll get a few pages in and realize it's either not for me or it's not landing for anyone. There have been plenty of times when I was sure a book would be a hit, and it totally flopped. And then there are other nights where a random picture book I grabbed at the last minute completely surprises us.
[00:05:07] It's not about reading the right book all the way through. It's about creating a moment where you're all in the same space. Sharing a story and showing your kids that reading is part of who your family is, not just something they do for school.
[00:05:17] And speaking of shared moments, you don't need anything fancy. Some of my favorite reading nights have been what I call a cozy pile up. Everyone just ends up wherever on the couch, on the bed, even on the floor and we read.
[00:05:28] One of the best read alouds happened after the pandemic. I'll be honest, I hadn't cleaned in a while, so one day while I was cleaning, I found a book under our couch, one of our old favorites that had obviously gone missing for a bit. It was covered in dust bunnies, so I brushed it off, dropped everything, and just started reading, right then and there. The boys came running.
[00:05:45] " We haven't read this in forever!"
[00:05:47] Next thing I knew, we were in a big, sweaty pile on the couch, laughing and reading, completely unplanned. I wouldn't trade that moment for anything in this world.
[00:05:54] Now if you're looking for another easy tweak, you can make family reading time extra inviting by letting everyone bring a comfort item, a stuffed animal, a blanket, a pillow. In our house. This is exactly why bedtime reading works so well for us. The kids always have their stuffies and it makes the whole thing feel warm, safe, and inviting. 'Cause let's be real, school reading doesn't exactly come with a blanket and a stuffed bunny. Those comfort items instantly make the experience feel less like an assignment and more like a treat.
[00:06:19] If you wanna go for a little extra fun, let a jar decide. Write down book titles, toss 'em in the jar, and when it's time to read, no debates, just pull one. Or if you want a bit more predictability, try a family favorites rotation where every person gets a chance to pick. Both of these options will work. The jar gives you a surprise. The rotation gives you something that'll look forward. And even though we haven't used those last two ideas in our house in exactly the way I mentioned, they're definitely next on my list to try when our family reading time starts to feel stale.
[00:06:45] One thing I can tell you though, is that the magic is in the ownership. Kids light up when their pick wins and it's the perfect way to bring in books from your own childhood.
[00:06:53] My boys adore The Monster at the End of This Book and its sequel. The first time I read them was before they'd seen Sesame Street, so they wouldn't have found these books on their own. But because they were my favorites, they became part of our family favorites too.
[00:07:04] Okay, here's another idea I love, the book plus movie teaser. The idea is to just read enough of the book to get everyone hooked then watch the movie version later. Or flip it, and start with a little bit of the movie before diving into the book. The reason this works so well is that a lot of kids have a hard time creating mental pictures from the words alone. That visual element of the movie gives 'em something to hang onto when you go back to the book. They can see it in their heads as you're reading, and it pulls them deeper into the story.
[00:07:28] I dive more into this in Episode 14, so if that sounds like something your kids might respond to, you might wanna give that one a listen.
[00:07:34] And finally, once you've been doing this for a while and the kids are into it, try a multi-voice read aloud. Everyone picks a character and gives them a voice. My husband is the king of accents in our house. He could have been a voice actor in another life and JD loves trying to out voice me for whichever character I'm reading. Hunter just laughs at me because I'm terrible at voices, but that's the fun of it. Sometimes it turns into this playful competition of "No mom, let me try." And before you know it, we're all laughing so hard, we have to pause the book. It's a completely different way to experience the story, and it turns reading into a shared performance instead of a one-way street.
[00:08:06] The point is, you don't have to do all these. Just pick one that feels doable tonight and see how it goes.
[00:08:12] When you start making space for family reading nights, even in small imperfect ways, something shifts. It's not just about finishing a book, it's about the little ripple effects you start to notice.
[00:08:22] In our house, Hunter's the king of unprompted reading time. He'll finish eating dinner, grab a book and walk over while I'm still mid-bite saying,
[00:08:28] " Mommy, can you stop and read?"
[00:08:30] I love that he asks. I really do, but sometimes it's not realistic in that exact moment. On those nights I say,
[00:08:36] "Buddy, let me finish my food and then we can read"
[00:08:39] or
[00:08:39] "Hey, you know what? This is the perfect book to read tonight at bedtime. Just you and me."
[00:08:44] If it would make a good family read aloud, but we can't fit it in that night, I'll make it part of the buildup for our next family reading night.
[00:08:50] "Aren't you getting excited for Friday? We'll start that when you brought me."
[00:08:54] It keeps the anticipation alive and it shows him his request matters.
[00:08:57] Sometimes it's a library book he picked out at school. Sometimes it's a new one we just bought, but haven't cracked open yet, and sometimes it's just an old favorite he spotted on the shelf. It doesn't matter how it starts. What matters is letting it have a place when it shows up.
[00:09:10] And here's the funny thing, sometimes you don't even realize you've stumbled into it until you're already there. You're sitting there, the book's open, and suddenly you notice the kids are quiet. They've stopped moving around and squirming all over the place. You're just there reading together, actually enjoying the moment. It's one of those rare calm nights you've always kind of dreamed about. It can happen, it may just take a bit to get there. And bonus, that calm, it sticks with you. Bedtime runs smoother, everyone's a little less wound up, and you're not carrying quite so much chaos into the rest of the night, and that's one of those ripple effects. I want you to start embracing.
And then there are those sibling moments, the ones you can't plan, but when they happen, they're magic. They're laughing together at the same part of a silly story or pointing something out to each other in the pictures.
[00:09:51] One of my favorites was, Don't Push The Button. When JD was younger, it was one of his absolute favorites. They're three and a half years apart, so back then Hunter was really just there for the giggles. But now that Hunter's in first grade and finding his footing with reading, I've been thinking about pulling those books back out again. I looked them up the other day and realized there are more in the series than I ever knew about. We have the original and the Easter one, but I found a couple holiday versions and even some random non-holiday ones. I'm so excited to grab a few because the repetition in these books is such a great confidence booster for new readers like Hunter.
[00:10:22] And honestly it's not just about the learning. I love these books because they've been the backdrop of some of our best family laughs. I can still picture both boys giggling uncontrollably, egging each other on and just being in the moment together.
[00:10:34] The more you find books like that, ones that draw everyone in, the more you'll stumble into these moments that stick with you. They might not feel huge while they're happening, but they send a quiet, powerful message to our kids.
[00:10:45] Even on the most chaotic days, I'm making time for you.
[00:10:48] And when they look back years from now, they're not going to remember if the laundry was folded or if the sink was full of dirty dishes. They're going to remember sitting with you, turning pages and getting lost in a story together.
[00:10:58] Next week, we're talking about creating a cozy reading spot for your family without spending a fortune on furniture or filling it with stacks of pricing, new books, I'll share why these little spaces work, how to pull one together using what you already have, and how to choose just the right mix of books to make it feel inviting. Even if you're short on space or budget, you can still make it happen, and I'll show you how.
[00:11:19] 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 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.
[00:11:33] And hey, if this episode has you thinking about how to make space for moments like family reading nights, without it falling apart when life gets busy. The Reset and Read Workshop replay will walk you through exactly how to do that. It's all about helping you create a reading rhythm that works for your real life. You can grab the replay now for just $17 at the link in the description. I'd love for you to check it out.
[00:11:52] Until next time, this is Ellen Westbrook, reminding you to just start and let the story bring you together, happy reading!