Why I Pay My Kids to Read

Written By: The Good and the Beautiful Published On: February 24, 2025

Find out how to motivate your children to read good books. As a parent, Jenny Phillips knows how difficult it can be to get kids to read, especially good, wholesome literature that builds their character. In this video and blog post, Jenny shares how paying children to read works for her family. She also shares how it has brought many benefits to her children. Then learn how to use the free, interactive Book List from The Good and the Beautiful to select books with good moral, literary, and educational value that are also at appropriate reading levels.

I’ve mentioned before that I pay my kids to read, and I get a lot of questions about how that works. So I thought I would share a quick video with you today about why and how I pay our kids to read, and how it’s actually been incredibly beneficial to my children. I am not saying that all families should do this, nor am I advocating it as “the way” to get kids reading. There are also other non-monetary things children can earn. I’m just sharing what we have done in my family. And all families are different.

Model Good Reading Habits

One reason I think it has worked so well for my family personally is because I have such a passion and love for books, so I talk to my kids about books all the time, and we regularly discuss the books they are reading.

How to Pay Your Kids to Read

So I’ll go over the how first, and then I’ll explain the impact paying my children to read has had on them. I’ll also talk about the fact that I think it’s more and less effective in certain situations. The how is very simple.

1. My children or I select books from The Good and the Beautiful Book List.

There are several hundred books on our Book List with high literary, educational, and moral value. Not all books are created equally. I feel that the moral value of the books my children read is far more important to their lives than the academic benefits. The books they read have really shaped them and have been one of the most impactful influences in their lives. But the academic benefits of reading books of good literary value are amazing as well.

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2. Determine how much the book is worth by looking at it yourself before the child starts reading it.

A book’s worth depends on the length, the level of difficulty, and the moral and educational value of the book. A nice feature about The Good and the Beautiful Book List is that it has ratings for the moral, literary, and educational value. I pay a different amount for each book, depending on my child’s age and these values.

3. Track the books your child reads.

We have a Google sheet for each of my children where we keep track of the books they read and how much each book is worth. Either they or I add the book to the sheet when they are done reading it. I will usually ask them about the book—what they learned and what they liked. Often I will have them summarize it for me, which is a great exercise for their minds. But I don’t always require that, especially if they’re just not really in a mood to do it. I want their reporting about the book not to be me “checking up” to make sure they really read it, but a joyful, natural discussion about the book, helping them get excited about sharing with me what they read.

4. Meet monthly for payment and goal setting.

About once a month, I sit down with each child individually. We add up the amount of all the books. Then we discuss what they want to do with the money they have earned. I let them choose how much they want to save in a savings account and how much they want to keep for spending. We talk about the importance of saving money. Every now and then I talk to my children about donating some of their money to charities or to other people in need. It has been a great experience for them to have their own money to use to help others.

Once, my 7-year-old son asked for money for Christmas instead of toys. He used that money and his book money, which he had saved for almost a year, to sponsor a child’s education in Africa. He did that all on his own, I believe, because I talk to my children all the time about the importance of helping those in need and not getting caught up in consumerism or materialism.

Reasons I Pay My Kids to Read

One reason I like paying my children for reading books, but certainly not the most important reason, is that I want my children to have some money of their own as they are growing up so they learn how to manage it. I don’t pay my children for doing chores or give them an allowance. And then, to encourage them even more to earn money through reading and also to learn judgment in spending money and understanding the value of money, I actually have them pay for a lot of things, starting at a young age. For example, if they need basketball shoes, I tell them that I will pay a certain amount for very basic shoes, and if they want nicer shoes, they need to pay the difference. If we’re on a trip, and they want a souvenir, they have to pay for it.

But the main reason for paying my children to read is to immerse them in the world of truly good books so that they will learn to love reading and want to become lifelong readers of truly good books. And I will tell you that it has worked in my family.

I’ve read opinions about paying kids to read. I’m very aware of the opinion that paying children to read sends the wrong message that reading is no fun, so you have to be paid to do it. Some people say that reading should be its own reward.

Here are my thoughts on that. If you can get your children to read the very best of books as much as you want without paying them, you probably don’t need to pay them to read. And the honest truth is, I don’t have to pay my kids to read anymore. My 13-year-old-son would read almost any book on our Book List now without getting paid, but he does read more if we pay him. Sometimes there are books that don’t have the most appealing covers but are of great value. I can pay him to get him to read those. They are of such great worth to his heart and his mind that he actually ends up enjoying them. As he reads more challenging and meaningful literature, it becomes easier and more appealing to him.

My Child Doesn’t Like to Read

For children who are not used to reading good literature or don’t like reading, paying them to read can really make a difference because they do need motivation at first. It’s nice to think that all kids should just read for the joy of reading, but sometimes that doesn’t happen until they read more and more good books. Honestly, it can take years for some children to latch on to good books.

And like I said, I feel it’s vitally important that parents also talk about good books with their children. Read good books yourself and talk to your children about what you are reading. Get excited about books. Let your children see your enthusiasm. Let them look at our Book List and choose their own books. Challenge them with a wonderful book they wouldn’t choose on their own by paying them more for it. Then lightheartedly remind them that the money they earned was nothing compared to the learning they gained from the book.

Sign Up for the Book Challenge

Not all families need to pay their children to read books. They just read without any further motivation—and that’s truly wonderful. Some families can’t afford to pay for reading. There are many other motivational rewards that could be earned, such as a family camping trip, a hike and a picnic, a date with Dad and Mom, or many other things. Be creative with the rewards.

Give Children the Best Books

However you go about getting your children interested in good books, it is worth the effort. The books children grow up with will change them. At The Good and the Beautiful, we believe in giving children the gift of the best books. Books that encourage pure minds and strong hearts. Books that support faith, family, clean language, and respectful behavior. The best books don’t just entertain, they also instill in our children noble and true principles. The very heart and core of The Good and the Beautiful is to help you find these books and make them a life-changing part of your journey. Search our full list of parent-approved, character-building books in The Good and the Beautiful Book List, as well as our Bookshop full of engaging and creative original books you will only find from The Good and the Beautiful!