The majority of kids these days have summer school reading projects assigned that are due on the first day of school.

While there are no rules in place stating that your child can’t start reading until the end of August, my guess is — if your house is like mine — the majority of kids, and their parents, procrastinate until the last minute to complete the assignment.

With the start of football practices already upon us or just around the corner, the time available during the waning summer days is limited. But the reading still has to get done.

Here are three hints to help your football player get through the book. Or if your child is already finished, strategies to consider for next summer.

1. Use football practice as a carrot

Even though you’ve probably had several talks with your child about finishing their reading, until now you haven’t had a date for the first practice when you can say, “If it’s not done by the first practice, you aren’t going.” Or, “You must read at least one chapter a day or you can’t go to practice.” Not all parents think this is the way to go, but if you haven’t tried it and nothing else is working, you might consider this strategy. But like all “threats,” only make it if you are willing to follow through.

2. Keep the working sessions short

Depending on the age, your child might not be able to sit down and complete the reading all at once. But if you break up a work schedule into shorter segments, you increase the likelihood your child will finish on time. Reading for 30 minutes a day for five days is a lot more “sellable” than spending three straight hours indoors reading on a beautiful day.

3. Time of day matters

It’s very hard to expect your child to stay in after dinner to read a book while the rest of the kids in the neighborhood are outside playing. However, if they spend the same amount of time in the morning with a nose in the book before those same friends are outside, you might have a little more success.

Summer reading projects can put a damper on the last few weeks of vacation. These hints can hopefully make that struggle a little more winnable.

Jon Buzby has been involved in and writing about youth sports for the past 30 years, originally as a coach and board member with his now-adult son and most recently "just as a dad" with his 8- and 10-year-old sons. Jon is an award-winning writer and his latest book, “Coaching Kids Made Easier,” is available on Amazon. Send comments or future blog topics you'd like to see to JonBuzby@hotmail.com and follow him @YouthSportsBuzz on Twitter.