Why Everyday Reading Matters
When I was growing up, I remember teachers telling my parents that all reading is good reading. Let them read comics, magazines, novels, lyrics, cereal boxes—anything! Because all reading is good reading and will exercise that reading muscle.
So I sat every morning with the Captain Crunch box propped up before me, or I pulled the lyric sheet out of the record jacket and followed along with the music. I was “reading,” so it was good.
As it turns out, this was good advice. All reading is good reading. The more you do it, the better you get. And the better you get, the more you do it—and more importantly, the more you like it.
Why All Writing Is Good Writing
The same is true for writing.
All writing is good writing.
All writing is good writing because the act of writing regularly strengthens vocabulary, creativity, and communication skills over time.
Writing Is a Skill That Needs Practice
Writing is a muscle (a series of muscles as it turns out) that needs to be stretched daily and practiced. We need to build our hand-eye coordination and our stamina to write longer pieces. We need to practice proofreading, spelling, and handwriting.
So we should all be of the mindset that all writing is good writing.
Encouraging Kids to Write Every Day
Help your child write lists for the store, write thank-you notes, write poems for cards, write blogs, write captions for photos, write stories—write anything! Help them find the pleasure in writing on colored paper and notecards, scraps and posters. Variety breeds interest.
Encouraging students to explore different kinds of writing helps build creativity, confidence, and stronger writing habits.
Helping Kids Overcome the Blank Page
We need to be sure that our kids are writing every day. We need to make sure that they are practicing how to get started. We need to make sure that the blank page is not a frightening thing.
We can fill it with words and go back and fix the form later.
Let Writing Be Fun
It is important to let kids write without it always being critiqued and graded. When we assign writing only for academic “to be graded” purposes, we take the joy out of the process.
We don’t take a comprehension quiz after everything we read. Sometimes we just read for fun or necessity. Sometimes we read quickly and sometimes we read slowly.
Writing is the same. Let it be fun. Let it be easy breezy. And let it be graded only sometimes.
But repeat after me: All writing is good writing.
How Parents Can Encourage Daily Writing
Many parents wonder how to help their children become stronger writers. One of the best ways is simply encouraging kids to write regularly in everyday situations.
Writing grocery lists, thank-you notes, captions for photos, stories, poems, and journals all help children practice writing skills. The more comfortable students become with writing, the more confident and capable they become.
Daily writing practice builds vocabulary, creativity, and communication skills that support both creative and academic writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is daily writing important for kids?
Daily writing helps children develop stronger communication skills, vocabulary, creativity, and confidence as writers.
What kinds of writing should kids practice?
Kids can practice writing lists, stories, poems, journals, captions, letters, and school essays. Variety keeps writing interesting and engaging.
Should all writing be graded?
Not always. Some writing should simply be for practice, creativity, and enjoyment. Too much grading can reduce motivation and confidence.
How can parents help children enjoy writing?
Parents can encourage writing in everyday life—notes, stories, lists, and journals—so writing feels natural and fun rather than stressful.