Reading to your children

Kimberly - posted on 01/27/2011

Please don't be discouraged! Early reading is such and IMPORTANT part of children's development! All children are different and you have receive some very good tips. Try different things. Like one post said, one day it will click and you will be so surprised because you thought he was not listening to you - it's a great feeling. The important part at this age is that you are doing the talking/reading and he will be able to increase his vocabulary. Try just pictures or even just a few pages. Believe it or not this is all part of the "reading" process. Best of luck!

Tracy - posted on 01/27/2011

I have had different reading experiences with all of my children- 3 kids, 3 different experiences. You can't go wrong reading to your child, regardless of his response. Keep doing it and try different types of stories. Eventually one will stick and one day you will hear the words repeated back to you when you didn't even realize he was listening.

Laura - posted on 01/27/2011

The same thing happened with my daughter. I started just reading them to my oldest while she was in the room and then eventually, she started picking up book that she wanted me to read and then she moved closer and closer to my lap. It'll happen :) Kids love books. Just keep on encouraging it and don't make it a bad experience.

Jamie - posted on 01/27/2011

I have 2 4-year olds and they both did the same thing. Keep reading to him. He does not have a very long attention span. Consider 1 minute for every year he is old. Try looking at picture books. It gets better with time. If you are rading consistently to him every night then it shoould start to get better soon. My guys were 3 before they could really sit and listen to a story from beginning to end. Your son is at an age that he will not know if you skip some pages so read a page and skip a page or a few pages. He is not old enough to sit and listen to a full five or so minute story. I hope this helps!

Fiona - posted on 01/27/2011

My son is 17 months & what your child does is totally normal... He loves his books & I've given him books since he was very young but he usually shows me what page he wants to look at & talk about, we don't neccessarily read the book because his attention span may not be feeling it that day so I just go with what ever he wants to do... Nowadays he's reading his books back to me (...in his own baby language that is!)

Rebecca - posted on 01/27/2011

Maybe instead of actually reading you could try a children's board book with something he is interested in- cars, baby animals etc and just talk to him casually about what he sees and let him lead you. My son loves for me to read to him but he also just loves to look at the pictures and talk about what we see. And he loves to turn the page and slam it closed with "the end". Don't worry about finishing a book, that's a long time to a little fella who has the whole world to discover. Also, keep the books with paper pages put up for now so you don't get upset if/when he rips the pages.

Sandy - posted on 01/27/2011

Get those hard books that just have a picture and a word. Read the word and show the picture. As he gets more interested he will look at the book and repeat the words. Babies don't have a very large attention span. Make it short and sweet and he will start to get inquistive about books.

Eunice - posted on 01/27/2011

Try reading to him when he is rested and give him a toy to hold in this hands to distract him. You may try sitting in a rocking chair and read into his left ear. The brain processes reading better when it enters the left ear, Try reading short stories with lots of pictures. Books with one sentence under a picture. Also try some fingerplays They are just as good. Google fingerplays for preschoolers or fingerplays for kindergarteners. singing the old fashioned nursery rhymes and reading short poems are all good. Don't become discouraged, keep on reading.

Lika - posted on 01/27/2011

Hmm... I started reading to my son since he was brought home. He's going on 11 and still likes to be read to, and is an avid reader himself right now, and reads above his grade level. But each child is different.

Here is a fun idea... get bath books. They have rubber foam pages and it can go into the bathtub. It's fun for them to play with the books too. It can be a roof for his bath boat, or a raft for his people. Making it fun, will encourage more reading later.

Tiffanie - posted on 01/27/2011

You should always keep reading fun. When my son was born I told my husband to get soft cloth books, they can be chewed and are impossible to tear. Cloth books come very short, around four pages, or longer with different textures and bells. He came home with board books and paper books. Needless to say, all the paper books got destroyed and the boards got chewed on. He was exposed to them and that is the important thing. He is now 20 months old and he will grab a book and sit on my lap and want to hear the book over and over again. I will read to him as long as he wants. Everyday he wants me to read to him. He even grabs a book and sits by himself to flip the pages. Good for you for caring enough to read to your son. It doesn't matter if you get through the whole book, just read until he gets distracted. At 16 months old his attention isn't going to be much longer than a minute or so. But the more comfortable and fun it is for him he will want to hear the whole story. I would say to get soft books that stay with his toys so he can familiarize himself with them. Good luck, you are helping his development more than you can imagine introducing a love and appreciation for books :)

Alexandra - posted on 01/27/2011

really short and thick books are apropriate for this age, the ones he can't rip. reading at bed time, nap time also helps.

Toya - posted on 01/27/2011

Hi Amanda, my son is 15months and never lets me finish a book. Turning pages, ripping them and sometimes just walking away. I have been reading to him since he was a few weeks old. But I feel its a stage he is going through since he was about 11months. When he does look at a book he tries to tell you the story - then closes it, so I listen. Dont owrry too much about it. Just read short books with pics where he doesnt have to concentrate too long. He's alot interested in all else thats going on :-). Also, like all the others said - try telling him stories, my baby likes that though I'm rubbish!

Jennifer - posted on 01/27/2011

Amanda....check out this book, a MU
ST HAVE
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?

Lora - posted on 01/27/2011

I belive that the ripping and nawing on reading books are normal. I have read plenty of articles and books that state as long as you are introducing the reading to you chid on a regular,brings about fimiliarity. Children may not pay attention or sit for a long period of time. Introduction is key! You are preparing you children for good reading habbits in the future. Keep at it!

Gwen - posted on 01/27/2011

This is normal. They will have a longer attention span as they get older.keep doing what you are doing and read more as they will want you to. You are doing nothing wrong.

Shanna - posted on 01/27/2011

We started early and made it a priority to read at least twice a day or more when possible. My 19mo loves books, he may just like the cuddle time, but even at 10mo he would sit for more than 30 minutes listening and looking at the pictures. I would recommend board books if you have issues with pages ripping. They have large board books to so you can have your child participate by turning the pages. He has his favorites and doesn't always want to sit thru a book though. You might always try books with peek a boo flaps or pop-ups, maybe your child needs to be engaged by more than just flat pages.

Cindy - posted on 01/27/2011

Get a small photo album at the dollar store and make a short book about your son-- his day with photos....getting up, dressed, eating, playing...people in his family/life...taking a walk/car ride...taking a bath...also try board books that are songs like the itsy-bitsy spider, or board books with simple rhymes or pictures...at that age, one of my children liked a book called Where's Goldie?, about a bird that flew out of her cage and was "hiding" on each page...Keep trying and talking!

Michele - posted on 01/27/2011

Experience and practice. If they let you read 2 pages at that age you are doing well. Don't give up...keep doing it and before you know it they will be bringing books to you. Maybe don't actually read the words, but ask your child about the photos as he turns the pages. He can point to what you are talking about. At this point, exposure is what is most important!

Jackie - posted on 01/27/2011

Once they get older it becomes easier. My son used to be like that so I stopped. What I do to keep him interested now is let him watch Sesame Street, youtoube videos about letters, numbers, ebooks, and used websites that teach him interactively. Now that he's three he actually asks me to read him a book because he finds it really interesting. I think he just didn't really 'get it' when he was younger. Children have different capacities at different times so it's best to keep an eye out for what is new with development BUT it's more important to customize to your child's needs. So, basically just go with the flow and use your creativity to play and educate him.

Jennifer - posted on 01/27/2011

I agree that cloth books and board books are a must. Check garage sales and half price books for decent deals. And it's never too late to get children interested in books. I have always read to my twin girls but at 15 months, they are VERY grabby. I read to them in the bath and sometimes I'll lay them in bed and read to them standing up from far away. :-) They like to turn the pages themselves so I have a few books that I've read so many times that I've memorized it, and I tell the story while they flip the pages back and forth. The story doesn't match the pages but they don't really care. They just like to hear me read and look at the pictures. Some stories I'd start with are "Goodnight Moon" and any dr. Seuss board book.

Chugga - posted on 01/27/2011

If it isnt a positive experience for you and your child then find something else that can be "yours" - the advice we get is GENERALISED, it is important to remember that - the key is just to have some positive quiet time with your child. There was a belief that reading to your child from an early age is critical for their language development and reading/writing skills ..... that is not the case.

Maybe your child would be interested in some quiet time building together (and discussing what you are doing) or word games or even singing instead.

Kristen - posted on 01/27/2011

I would suggest getting some really short (one word per page) board books. Sit with him on your lap and have him try to name objects etc. That is reading to him! If you have some larger books go ahead and read them, but if he wont listen to the whole thing read as much as he will listen to. Buy him books that have the stiff "board" pages and let him do whatever! There are also cloth books that hold up really well to destructo babies. If you are reading an email from your mom, read it out loud. A magazine article? Out loud! A funny joke - read it! Anytime you are reading anything to your child or talking to him is encouraging listening and language skills. Even if you arent sitting down with him to read just make sure that he is hearing you and able to interact if he chooses.

Joan - posted on 01/27/2011

Hi again I forgot to mention for you to try making up some stories with your son as the hero. I done this for my daughter and ended up writing them down for her she is always a princess and she gets into so many scrapes and helps so many friends in fairylands all over the atmosphere from garden fairies to sky fairies. Started this and then when Ii worked as School Crossing Patrol one of the adults who crossed with me was saying she was worried about her grandson moving to a new school that was when I started writing about pirates who scare away bullies and all sorts of things. They have kept the attention of many of the kids in my family and friends. Write them down and make it fun. Just open your mind to any possibilty and let it go as long as there is happy endings and your son is always brave and his friends are there to ssupport him your tales will come write them in a book or on computer and print them out some ink and paper is cheaper than books. If you don't think you can write try some e-books you can print off.

Kelly - posted on 01/27/2011

Get some board books and slowly introduce him to other books as he learns to handle the paper books/pages. It is a great teachable moment. If he feels like cuddling up on your lap read a regular book to him. If he just wants to play with and explore books give him board, plastic, or cloth books. I am a pre-k teacher and we actually have students come to school who do not know how to handle books so we start them out with board books until they learn how to hold and treat books. As he gets older you can explain that if he does not take care of the books he won't have them anymore. I hope this helps :)

Dierdre - posted on 01/27/2011

I tell stories to my children and they love it. Sometimes I think of a movie and a scene and make it into a little story. Sometimes I make up a story about them and create a magical place. They like it so much more than me reading them a book and they are still getting the language benefit.

Meg - posted on 01/27/2011

Try board books. Let him guide when to stop. knowing when he is about to throw it or rip out of your hands is a good time to teach him how to say he is all done. Let him pick between 2 or 3 books. Start with reading just one. Let him choose between sitting on your lap, the floor or next to you. It needs to be enjoyable for him also.

Tracy - posted on 01/27/2011

Happens to me all of the time with my 1yo! But he's showing interest in his books more on his own now, so I find that encouraging. Board books are wonderful!

Kaitlin - posted on 01/27/2011

Hi Amanda,

I know what you mean . . . attention span is always an issues however, I know a child psychologist, who has developed a line of eBooks specifically to engage early learners ages 1 through 3. You may want to check out HowBabiesLearn.com. The books are really fun to do with your kids and they're based on research about how young children process information.

Let me know what you think!

Best,
kaitie

Paula - posted on 01/27/2011

Read the board books at that age. Something like Sandra Boytin's books. They are small and are rhryming. That age wants to pick it up themselves and chew on it and just check it out. No harm done with board books!

Lianne - posted on 01/27/2011

get some board books or cloth books so e can look at them himself too, read to him when he's tired/ in a cuddly mood. just persevere cos toddlers often won't sit still but if you keep going he'll soon be at the age when he'll want to have stories.

Nichole - posted on 01/27/2011

It depends on the child. My daughter was really into books. She was bringing them to me by the time she was 15mos old. I think I started reading to her in the high chair while she ate. Her favorite was an alphabet book, and by 16mos had started to recognize the letters, and could literally tell you what each letter was by 20mos. My son is a different story. He's the one that you had to watch for so that he didn't rip the pages. He turned 2 in Nov, and only now will sit and let me read an entire book to him without becoming bored and leaving. Try reading only from board books to start. They're short and sweet, and if he grabs at them he can't hurt them. Again, every child is different. And boys tend to be a bit older before they can sit and focus on a book long enough to finish them. Another good type of book is just a book with pictures of things with the word of what that thing is below it. Boys tend to like things that are more interactive, so if you can just point and say, Truck, Dog, Cat... etc. he might be a lot more interested. Try not to get frustrated, just because he won't sit for books now doesn't mean he won't love them in the future:-)

Leslie - posted on 01/27/2011

I do not see the big deal in making them sit down in your lap during reading time. When Braxton, who is 14 months, has learned that if he snatches it from my hand that it is rude and the book is taken away and all reading time is over. If he wants to have a book read he has to sit in my lap. Better to start now then later on. I have been reading to him since he was 4 days old.

Mary - posted on 01/27/2011

When my son was younger, we would read books that both of us participated in - counting books, books with lift-up flaps, books about trucks, that sort of thing rather than actual "I read, you listen". We naturally progressed to "I read, you listen" by about 2 1/2 or so. Now that he's 4, he picks the book we read at bed time and going to the book store is a big treat because he gets to pick the books we'll be reading. Be patient and follow your child's lead. The story before bed each night is wonderful for all of us. Some nights Mommy reads, some nights Daddy reads and some nights my son will "read". Go with the flow and enjoy it....there are no rules!

Mary - posted on 01/27/2011

agreed betty c. my twins too were carrying on full conversations at 16 months, started reading at around 2/2.5 and are now 6 and reading beyond a gr 4 level, they have some gr.5/6 work too. reading early creates varied knowledge nets that make it much easier for children to "learn" - I am homeschooling them. I left the house 'cluttered' with kids books rather than toys, their little sister is also following suit :)

Betty - posted on 01/27/2011

When I would read to my daughter when she was a baby and toddler, I would choose books that either were her level or if they were for older toddlers I would talk about the pictures instead. This kept her interested and loving to read. She now is in first grade and is reading at half way through 3rd grade level. Your son may be getting bored if you are reading books word for word at 16 months old because he can't understand what you are reading. Instead point to the pictures and say "The dog is running. The cat is sleeping" or whatever is going on in the pictures. Wait until he is a little older to read word for word.

Lora - posted on 01/27/2011

I really believe that it is never to soon to start reading to our children. Reading is a lifeskill that is so very important! And studies have shown that children can learn to read much easier before the age of 5.
I started reading to my daughter at birth. I also started showing her Your Baby Can Read DVDs at about 2 months old. At first, she would only pay attention to a few lines, and then I would lose her. No big deal. We put down the book or turned off the TV and played something else. Now my daughter is 22 months old, and she amazes everyone with her ability to read. Yes, she really can read over 100 words now! I have been complimented by strangers on the street and even the staff at the ER on her very advanced vocabulary.
My point is, start now. Only good can come of it. If your baby seems to lose interest, move on. It's not a disaster.

Mary - posted on 01/27/2011

hold him in your lap but don't 'read' to him; turn the pages and be excited about what you see; tell him to show you the flower, the truck, oh my where is it!!, I think you missed your window because you are starting too late, if you started at birth he would be used to the routine as if it was a part of life but that being said, you need to get him to like the books first; all my kids prefer books over toys now and ask for books for birthdays and xmas; you can't be afraid to be the idiot reader acting out the different sounds and voices; JUST HAVE FUN!! If it stresses you out your son will now it before you do!

Christina - posted on 01/27/2011

Hi Amanda,
When Sam was four or five (he's 6 1/2 now), he would sometimes turn the pages on me before I finished reading a page. I found that a bit frustrating and sometimes wondered if he was missing out on getting the story. Actually, something I read while going to school to get my master's in teaching reading helped me understand that Sam's page turning was his way of staying engaged with the book, and his level of interest at the time was right where he should be--enjoying mommy and me time, hearing some of the story, enjoying the pictures, and "reading" at his own pace. He was learning that books have things he likes or doesn't like, and he could turn the pages when he wanted to see something else. (It was also cool that he was learning the right direction for turning pages). When he was really little I did read a lot to him, but his attention span was very short, so we used lots of very short books! ha ha One of his favorites was just an ABC book, and we would play games with some of the letters, like for Z, there was a picture of a zipper, so I would pretend to zip up his pj's and then tickle his neck. :)
Although Sam did rip a few books out of my hands, it wasn't a consistent thing. However, a friend of mine told me she couldnt' get her daughter to stay in one place long enough to read to her, so she began carrying her around the house and would read to her while moving around. Maybe something like that might work for your son. Mom's are great at multitasking! :) Maybe combining movement and reading will help your little one to stay engaged for a few minutes longer. :) Just hearing your voice speaking a plethora of vocabulary will help him develop his own growing vocabulary, which is great preparation for his own future reading! Please don't worry. Just have fun with it! You can be non-traditional in your reading time together. :)

Sima - posted on 01/27/2011

Amanda, I started reading to my children, now in their twenties, when they were infants; maybe three months. It was the sound of my voice, the melody of the story that grabbed their attention. I am now a professional story-teller and I never bother with the pictures. Try telling him a story without any book. (Three Billy Goats Gruff?) He'll come to appreciate what a story is all about.

Melanie - posted on 01/27/2011

get lots of board books and just let him take the lead about how much you read.. he has a very short attention span like all toddlers! as long as he is enjoying the books it doesn't matter if you ever finish a book.

Gina - posted on 01/27/2011

1)Don't let any child destroy a book not matter what age the child is. 2)Start reading at bedtime when the child is tired. They are bound to listen longer. 3)Only read until the child shows signs of boredom and start getting restless. 4)Start with very short stories, like 4 -- 8 pgs with a sentence or two on one page and a picture on the other.
Your child will eventually come to you with a book of his choosing for you to read to him and will sit for the whole story.

Laura - posted on 01/27/2011

My daughter is 19 months and I still have that problem. She also likes to turn the pages before I finish reading it.

Vanessa - posted on 01/27/2011

He is only 16 months! He has no idea really what is going on or understanding it. Repetition is best. He will catch on soon enough.. When does it get better? Uh, I have a 4 year old and he doesn't enjoy sitting still for longer than 2 seconds.. it's just a kid thing, he'll get over it.

Jesse - posted on 01/27/2011

The Read Aloud Handbook is an excellent resource for parents on the importance of reading. It is filled with research supporting reading from infancy, has techniques for parents and lists quality literature to use.
Not being able to sit for long periods is normal. So is the destruction. Heather Ramsey has a good selection to read at nap and bed time when your child is winding down.
It's still important to encourage him when he presents you with a book. If he gets restless, it's ok to move on to play or skip the text and engage him in the pictures by asking questions. Before long, you won't be able to get him out of your lap and he won't let you skip text.

Grandma - posted on 01/27/2011

Hi Amanda! I started reading to my babies when they were still in the womb!! And carried that on when they were tiny babies. The thing is - that didn't mean everything went easily, in fact, as my eldest daughter got older, she would fidget on my lap, so I brought her into the whole exercise. I'd say things like, 'can you see a flower/car/dog/whatever?' 'Show mummy.' 'Point to the flower.....and so on. Suddenly what had become boring for her, became such fun that books were her first choice for sharing fun!! Oh! And one other thing - don't take your son's behaviour to heart, I'm sure you're a good mum so don't worry - all children are wonderfully unique.........as are YOU!

Crystal - posted on 01/27/2011

Honestly, just the fact that you are exposing him to books at an early age is fantastic. I'm a Kindergarten teacher and early exposure to books teaches children "Concepts about Print" which is an important precursor to learning to read. This involves understanding about the way we hold the book, the direction the pages turn, reading from left to right, and other concepts. Believe it or not your son is learning all this whether you realize it or not.

My son (17 mos) doesn't like to sit still for very long either, but because we have had books around since he was born, and at least TRY to read a little every day, he has now started to gain more interest. He will often sit on the floor and look at his books alone (yes, board books! haha) or bring one over to me to read. He usually doesn't pay attention for more than a couple pages but at least he is showing the interest. Keep doing what you're doing, it will come. :)

Kathy - posted on 01/27/2011

He's only 16 months and his attention span and vocubulary are quite limited.. Get board-books with lots of pictures. Wait until it's a quiet time for him. Leave books EVERYWHERE! On the coffee table, by his toys, on his changing table - you name it! EXPOSURE to books, the time you spend looking (not *necessarily* reading at this age). You may also want to pick nursery rhymes - the rythmyc-sound and ryhming words may get his attention. At this age...and going forward, you want him to *feel* good about books and stories. Being next to you, feeling happy about looking at books and spending time with you.

Trisha - posted on 01/27/2011

I have been reading to my daughter since the day she was born, it has always been part of our bed time routine. We change diapers, put on pjs, brush teeth. Now that she is 18 months she gets to pick two books off her bookshelf, sits on my lap and we read. We rarely get to the end of a book, because she wants to flip the pages, recently she has taken to reading the book to me. Usually she starts in the middle or back of the book and sometimes it is upside down but she enjoys the accomplishment of reading it to me. Also, we have several board books without words or just a few words (for example: Goodnight Gorilla) we can make up the story and point out different things in the book. Another idea, when my husband had to travel he bought her a recordable book at Hallmark. He read the story and recorded his voice. She LOVES this book! Stick with trying to read to your son, it is one of our favorite times in our crazy busy days. Good Luck!!

Frenika - posted on 01/27/2011

You can purchase book where the pages can't be ripped out. They sell those hard paged book that may be suitable for you son. I don't think that your son is uninterested in the books you read because my son favorite book is a 'paper' book and sometimes he sits and reads and point to the pictures and sometimes he starts tearing the pages. But try some hard books..

Marie - posted on 01/27/2011

yes when i started reading to my son he did exactly the same thing, don't stop trying though try using the cardboard books that have only 3 pages with big words and pictures and read to him at bed time when he is in his cot that way he canot get to the book to take it from you, and use short stories because he won't be able to concentrate for a long period of time he will get there don't worry it took my son a copple of months to get into it at first, i just red short stories through out the day