The write start - Jennifer Hallissy 2010

Note to Self
Make Yourself Write at Home

In short, I will sum up what I’ve seen parents do that has worked and that I am trying my best to emulate in my own home. Consider it a concise yet vigorous manifesto for raising a writer.

Provide support. Create opportunities to write. Admire and appreciate. Read every word. Save, share, and show off writing samples. Equip a writing space. Keep necessary tools on hand. Let your kids catch you in the act of writing. Often. Write with your kids every day (even the small stuff matters). Every so often, say the words “once upon a time.” Don’t stop talking until you reach “the end.” Read, read, read. Together, read everything you can get your hands on, not just stories. Newspapers, magazines, correspondence, flyers, manuals, road signs, cereal boxes—whatever piques your child’s interest. If they write to you, write back. Write them love notes. Sign them with Xs and Os. Carry a pencil and paper with you, wherever you go. Say, “That’s something worth writing about!” so often that your kids say it in their sleep.

What shouldn’t we do? Avoid editing our kids’ writing. Avoid it like the plague. Especially during the early stages of writing development, avoid correcting, critiquing, or changing their writing in any way. Unless they ask for specific help, stand back and give them some room to figure it out on their own before rushing in to save the day. Put the red pen away. There will be plenty of time for all that stuff once writing is well established. For now, our job is to raise kids who love to write. The best way to do that is to show them that we love their writing.

And in that spirit, I encourage you to enjoy the fifty-two activities that follow. Think of each one as a unique opportunity to invite the fun of writing into your home and the love of writing into your child’s life.