No matter what we do in life, it is necessary to write and communicate. We interact with and express ourselves to others every day. Good communication can be an important element for success. The more our writing improves, the better we will communicate. What can homeschoolers do to prepare their children in this way for the future?

Teaching writing can be intimidating, especially if you don’t feel like you are a good writer. Here are some tips you can use to encourage your kids to write and polish their communication skills. Grade school, high school—age doesn’t matter; it’s never too late to develop good writing skills. A seventy-year-young gentleman I know took a writing course and got published. You’re never too old to learn!

1. Read to Your Kids

Make family reading time a priority, if only once a week. It’s a great way to share quality time together. It provides opportunities for discussion. The benefits of exposure to literature are endless. It broadens perspectives and lends to a sense of adventure. We read the Little House series, biographies, carefully chosen classics, and more. I looked for books that were interesting and relevant to my kids’ lives and studies.

You can often tell which kids have been read to and/or are readers. Among other things, they sometimes have imaginations that are more vivid. They have a good sense of what sounds right when writing because they have been exposed to good literature. Reading, and being read to, opens up a world for kids that they might not experience otherwise.

2. Set a Good Example

Let your kids see you writing. Even if the only things you write are letters, lesson plans, and grocery lists, you are still writing! Keep writing and encourage the kids to do so too. The more you do it, the more you improve. My husband is a prime example (and a good sport). When we started in business twenty-some years ago, writing a business letter was not his thing. With practice and a little advice, he now writes a professional letter with very little assistance from the editing department (me!).

3. Find Writing Projects to do Together

Writing activities in a curriculum are great, but sometimes they don’t spark a student’s creativity. How many of us plodded through the required “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” assignments when we were students? A group project can be more fun.

When it comes to writing, especially for reluctant writers, fun is the key. Engage kids by finding short, interesting activities to start. Projects can be expanded as their skills develop. Try writing a continuing story, silly poetry, or a family newspaper together.