Reading to your children

Jessica - posted on 01/26/2011

texture books might help!! they are those books that you feel different textures of things. my daughter loves those books. i always take her finger and run it along the picture, then she does it herself. it is never ever too late to read to your child!!! just go to really simple board books and point at pictures or make animal sounds if it is an animal book. add to it, make it funny, that kind of thing... you don't have to read word for word and it does not have to be complicated! anything works and anything helps. he won't get the more complicated books until he is around three...

Cori - posted on 01/26/2011

It will get better. At 16 months, his attention span is so short, but it's so important what you're doing. My son is now 9 and loves, loves reading although he did the same thing as a baby and has had phases where he just can't sustain interest in a book for long. But if you keep at it, you'll create a book lover for life. Good luck!

Christina - posted on 01/26/2011

When my son was younger (he's 2 now) I tried reading to him, but he never paid any attention. Funny thing is now he wants me to read to him all the time. He has to have his book time before bedtime or else he won't go to sleep. Just remember be patient. Maybe let him choose the book if he wants to hear it. That's what we do.

Heather - posted on 01/26/2011

Once my oldest son left babyhood and started having his own opinions about books, he would never let me finish a book either! I was getting concerned by the time he reached 18 months. (I knew he needed to hear books, especially rhymes, a LOT.) Then I discovered _Find the Duck_, an Usborne book. It was the first book he let me read to him -- and it rhymed! We read that one and all the rest in the series. My kids have now grown up with these great books.
You will be able to find them in your library, or contact me to own them for free. :) And p.s. yes, they're "edible" board books, safe for all ages. :)

Dan - posted on 01/26/2011

You should get the look and find books to get him to search for the pictures . Also try putting on cd books just so he can hear the words. Don't give up, reading is the most important thing you have to for a child prior to starting school.

Jackie - posted on 01/26/2011

I get my 16 month old those soft material books or board books so he can't rip the pages and try reading on your tummy or upside down it might get babies attention my little one likes it

Gailann - posted on 01/26/2011

Amanda, I remember when my son was young, I had the same problem. My older son would listen so nicely, and interact with books. My younger son was just like yours. I gave up for a while, feeling like I was a really bad mother. But he eventually came around, and started reading on his own when he was about 3 and a half. Yes, really reading. Now that he's 9, he never stops. We actually have to tell him to stop reading! So, try all the good advice others have given, but don't worry - if you model reading, he'll come around.

Mimi - posted on 01/26/2011

My advice is to follow your son's cues...if he likes trains, leave a book around about trains etc. Even TV characters, they all have books about them....My daughter showed very little interest in reading until about 18 months though she wasn't antagonistic about books - she just didn't let me finish a story and would walk away or try to take the book just to flip pages (which is fine). Now she goes to bed with books and wakes up and 'reads' to herself in the morning at 2.25 years. Also, if you find a book that he likes, get him to interact with you in telling the story. Most kids don't want to be passive observers at this age. So ask him to label things on the page and when he starts to remember a story line leave the last word off the sentence and let him finish it....Go for the board books that are virtually indestructible as well....

Rebecca - posted on 01/26/2011

I have 2 children and my 4 year LOVES stories, before bed, while eating or while going to the toilet, he loves to hear stories about everything and is even starting to read to his little brother, which is why I am not worried that my 18 month old is not interested in books at all. He joins us for story time and sits for about 3 seconds and then is off... but after a few pages, he will wander back again for 3 more seconds, he is listening, but in his own way and he loves looking at books and just flipping the pages back and forth.
I also find he sits still a little longer and is more interested in the books when he picks them out.

LadyJane - posted on 01/26/2011

My son's done that as well but not while I was reading them, usually afterwards cause he wants to read them himself. But I've recited stories instead of reading him a book so chances of him ripping out a page are nil. I've also made up stories. Usually, the 3 little pigs/three little bears, most know those by heart. Other than that. Get those little cloth type books, books that have material he can feel himself, or the board books. All of these are pretty sturdy. Well except for my son, he even ripped apart the board books, so we started to get cloth and those books where you can actually feel the fur, leather, or other material that helps with the story.

EILEEN - posted on 01/26/2011

Children of today get far too many toys so they are not intrested in Books at all .

Dixie - posted on 01/26/2011

Make sure you have a book with lots of fun pictures, and the little ones love to be rocked while you are reading.

EILEEN - posted on 01/26/2011

You should have shown him Books from a very early age not wait till he is 16 months old . First books I gave my son to look at where them Cloth ones with Pictures in ,then when he was a bit older he looked at big Hard back ones ,the sort they can not do any damage to .say around the age 2 show them pictures in old books you do not mind if pages get pulled out ..Leave a few books out its up to your child if he wants a story not many want you to read to them at all .unless you insist to do so .

Victoria - posted on 01/26/2011

Remember at 16 months they do not have a very long attention span. My 12 month old never wants to sit through a whole story, and she tries to take the book even when I am reading to the other kids. I just hold it out or her reach, and I let her go do her own thing while I finish reading to the older child. Also, I read that around this age they like to tear paper, it supposedly is a normal part of development. Maybe he likes the sound of the pages tearing.

Crystal - posted on 01/26/2011

If he's snacking in his high chair or in the crib for naptime and bedtime - perfect time to read to him! When he's playing, read to him. Pick up some soft books and board books. He can't destroy the soft ones, and the board books are very very hard to.

My son was 2 before he stopped tearing up books. I simply kept them out of his reach and corrected him when he started tearing them. At first it was the sound, but that made mommy and daddy sad (you hurt the book, oh no!) then he was doing it on accident turning the page too hard.

He's listening while he plays, so he's still getting the benefit. Heck, I even have read my textbooks to my son! Not thrilling, but he's exposed to the language, likes having me talking to him, and it's good for us both.

Doesn't matter what you read or when. Let him look at pictures in books he can't mess up or magazines you don't care about and just read. Even making up stories without books is good for him!

Jamie - posted on 01/26/2011

We've been reading to our ds since he was about 6 months. He loves books now! and more often than not when we don't finish a book, it's because he wants to show us what's inside. Telling us what he sees and pretending to read to us.



The goal here is not to finish a book or even make them sit still! It is to expose them to idea of reading. The more they enjoy books now the better the chances are they will later.



As a previous Pre-K and Kinder teacher I can tell you it is apparent which children are read to and which aren't. IMO- and just my opinion, it helps a great deal. Start out small, and you don't even have to read the book, talk about the pictures and what is going on. the idea and the interaction is more important than the content of the book.

Pam - posted on 01/26/2011

Board books and there are lots of "books as toys" that are more indestructible. Get books that encourage him to interact with the book--lift the flap books, touch and feel and snipp books, etc. THey even make bathtime books! THey are plastic with pictures on them. Just get him used to the experience of books--turning pages, looking at them, etc. My son is 4 and his attention span for books has increased a lot since he was younger. My older daughter has always loved books but I read to her TONS when she was little (when she was an only child and I had no other child needing attention or help) and she is an amazing reader now. And there is something to be said for differences between boys and girls. That is why I think interactive books may be better for boys--they need the activity to augment the language development. Good luck!

Bethanie - posted on 01/26/2011

I never had a problem with any of my children. We go to the local library for their story time for their age groups. I have a 3 year old that will not go to bed unless I read her a story and an 11 month old who loves books too. Wish I could give you some advise other than short books and they also make books that are made of fabric or the hard pages so they don't get destroyed! My 3 year old finally graduated to the longer books (Polar Express) where she will allow me to stop in the story and pick up where we left off the next night. So we read longer books but still keep it short by splitting it up. I read to my girls as much as I can and as much as they will let me... bed time, nap time, quiet time all great times for a book! Best of luck hope things get better for you soon!

Dixie - posted on 01/26/2011

When kids are babies, being held and watching your face and hearing your voice is what it is mostly about, and just a little practice at sitting and listening, when he gets squirmy, stop and move on, but try gain and again as he's feeling relaxed or sleepy. You can even make simple books that his destuction of won't cost you a thing. Flip through a binder of cereal box es that you have cut into pages and glued old calendar and magazine pictures onto, and talk a biy about each page as if you were reading, "There is a green tree" "see the cool, blue lake" "How many trucks are on this page, i see a fire truck and a dump truck"

My kids ended up loving to be read to, and even helped me with story ideas for the novel I published by letting me read the whole thing to them and telling me what worked.

Anyway, finishing a book is not critical at 16 months, but not going beyond where he is enjoying it, will help him want more the next time.

Kelly - posted on 01/26/2011

He sounds perfectly normal for 16 months. Just remember that at different stages he will enjoy the book in different ways. Keep trying and don't get upset if he doesn't react in the way you are hoping for. It will happen with time. Oh yes - and don't listen to anyone who says it is because you are or are not doing something, didn't start at the right time etc. - his reaction isn't caused by you. He is just processing in his own way.

Shelley - posted on 01/26/2011

I started reading to my boys when they were babies. As they got older they LOVED it! I read to them while they played & when it was time for them to settle in for the night. Eventually, they would read to me. It makes you proud!
They still enjoy reading and my oldest just turned 19. Make it enjoyable & they will look forward to it!

SueAnn - posted on 01/26/2011

Every child is different. For that age I would use board books and foam as they are more sturdy. My DD at that age could only handle certain types of books. The books had to either invovle her being able to touch and interacting with the book, or it had to have one picture and one word per page, third the book could be active (Head to Toe is one example.) Are there times of the day when he is more mellow - when he first wakes, just before nap etc? Would he be more receptive to even a short book then? Can you read to him while he's eating (I assume he still sits in a high chair of some sort, so he can't grab the book then.)
Does he have access to board books a other times? He may really want to explore the book himself too.

Sarah - posted on 01/26/2011

Yes! I also found that really frustrating. However, my daughter loves being read to.....mostly at bedtime though. I think that if you keep reading and incorporate books into the bedtime routine, slowly your son will get interested in the story.....right now there is so much to explore in his physical world but the books are part of that physical world.....he will soon get into the mental world of books. Sometimes I still get frustrated that my daughter wants to read to me and won't let me read....but at least she is engaged in the book and developing her imagination! Reading words will come right now she is reading pictures...something I did as a child and still do as an adult.

Dixie - posted on 01/26/2011

Keep reading to him. My daughter-in-law read to my granddaughter from the time she was born. It made them very close, and my granddaughter is a straight A student. Also try to get him to recognize words, and spell. It will make him excell in school.

Janet - posted on 01/26/2011

Not to that extent. But I found that if I wait until nap time and set them in my lap and read to them it works better. I hope this helps

Amy - posted on 01/26/2011

Kids at this age do not have a long attention span. You should try to stick to the small board books. They're a quick read so you're more likely to make it through the book and your son is more likely to enjoy it more. Use a silly voice sometimes or sing the words to make it more entertaining/fun too. As your baby gets older, you can graduate to other books.

Lakisha - posted on 01/26/2011

Kids at his age , attention span is about 20 minutes, some times shorter. It's his time, when you are reading to him. SO, when he starts giving you clues then stop, reading, and pick up where you left off the next time. If you have picture books, and not word books, and just going through the books and naming the objects, and making the sounds that the object, or animal makes, is so much fun, and will help your son to engage in the process of reading.

Betty - posted on 01/26/2011

May sound silly, but I started reading to my daughter BEFORE she was born. I had hard back books from the older daughter and after chores were finished and I sat down for a little rest I would pick up a book and read aloud. That little girl is now a professor at a college teaching creative writing, speech and English. My efforts paid off big time.

Amanda - posted on 01/26/2011

We buy the cheap $1 foam and board books from the Target bins for my daughter to play with. We stay away from the "lift the flap" books because she ALWAYS tears them out. Also, I haven't started reading to her until now (20 months) because she also wasn't interested and would walk away. She just started picking up books and "reading" on her own.

Paula - posted on 01/26/2011

there is no set age, but as other mums have said pick picture books and board ones that are much less destructable. sit him on your knee when he is tired nad have a cuddle and play 'spot the' games. my 4 nad 8 year old still love this game - using wheres wally and other complicated pictures. its about developing vocabulary and conversation skills - once secure in objects / cvolours you can say things like 'is the truck purple? when it is green - so he laughs and thinks he knows better then you ? or is it a duck when its a car? have fun together is the key thing x x

Tracy - posted on 01/26/2011

i was reading simple board book stories till the age of 2 as the children find it very hard to destroy these also make sure there are no distractions or anything else and if your son is not interested try to find a tme when he wants a snuggle and read to him then. i tend to enjoy stories with my children just before bed and we all have a snuggle at the same time and maybe allow him to choose a book , i let my children take turns choosing what they want to read

Miaesha - posted on 01/26/2011

I always read to my son, from day one. Try buying the hard books, they are harder for babies to rip, but it happens with all kids that young. If he snatches the book, take the opportunity to teach him about the appropriate way to treat books and teach him how to listen. He is not to young to understand that there are rules to reading. Try announcing reading time and allow him to pick the book. Hope this helps.



Another thing to keep in mind is that u can't attempt to force him to sit still or even sit with you while you read. If the space is quiet enough for him to hear you, he will be listening. I remember I had stopped reading to my son for a week because he would walk away and play. But he brought me a book one day saying "read." And walked away. Then realized he was listening while he was playing. And some of those stories are his favorites to read to himself today. His favorite still is , "Everywhere Babies."

GLADYS - posted on 01/26/2011

i dont think yu have 2 b disappointed in yo kid becoz they are tearing books. its the same here but i have learnt to read only a passage and explain it even though they cant pay attention yu jus do as if thats how it works, soon yu will enjoy the 2 of yu. also for the record: plz give yo baby an old magazine so that they dont tear their valuable treasures plzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Julia - posted on 01/26/2011

16 months is too young to follow a story (that won't happen until they're closer to 3 years old generally) - get some tough cardboard books, and some interactive ones (with textured bits, sliding bits etc), and don't always expect to read them through. My daughter loves books, but ones that are short and snappy (a couple of minutes is about as long as she'll spend on any one book), and has things she can point to (animals, for example) and say the name of them, or I ask her to point to things on the page (the duck, the flower, the tree etc). Also, if you've got some tougher cardboard books, you can just leave them with his toys and let him play with them himself...you may well then find that he will start to bring to the books to you to read too!

Good luck!

Christine - posted on 01/26/2011

Eh I think at that age you are fine to just "encourage" the reading.. let him point to things and tell him what they are or just look at the pictures and tell him about what's going on in the book. Or make up your own story at his pace (ie as he's flipping through). If you want him to get the language exposure you could just try reading the book out loud while he's in the room. You'll want to only have the hard/cardboard pages out not the paper pages! Some of them will get ruined too but it takes longer and doesn't happen as easily. You could always sit and make up some stories too!

Elda - posted on 01/25/2011

After dinner & bath time was always quiet time in my house where, with TV and all distractions off, I would have the baby on my lap with toddler beside me, reading to them, while Daddy cleaned up the bathroom. :-)

Marcilla - posted on 01/25/2011

well my two year old just started allowing me to finish short books. But I co-read with him..allowing him to think he's reading to me..taking turns

Ellie - posted on 01/25/2011

Oh how i remember...........
When my kids were that age I bought books that have cardboard pages, textures, and interactive parts like noises. Yes, I said noises. I'm sure that by this time you're not looking for something with more noise, but it gets their attention.
I needed to think of a way to get them to want to look at the books so we could start the reading. So, I pulled the oldest trick in the book. I played with the books and read them! Ah Ha!!!!
You're sitting on the couch with a couple books, maybe even the one that makes noises. You're reading the books outload, making the noises and playing with the buttons etc. He looks up. What's going on over by mom? What's she up to, and why wasn't he invited? Is your toy better? The grass is always greener etc.
Pretty soon, my kids were putting down the other toy and coming over to check things out. It doesn't last for very long at first, but the next time they're going through the toy box...
There's that thick paged book that makes noises or has textures. Score!!! Mom doesn't have it this time. :-)
Hope this helps. We always read to them at bed time. No noisey books, something to calm them down and help them go to sleep. Try Goodnight Moon. My oldest loved that the moon was going to bed as well. Some times as parents we just have to think like them.

Amanda - posted on 01/25/2011

Thank you everyone. I have been reading to my child for quite some time, or at least trying to. When he was younger, he would let me read to him while he ate, but now he won't. He yells and screams over me, so I stop. He does have board books, which are accessible. He has a few of them that he gets down/out everyday. He flips through them all sorts of crazy. If I try to sit down and look at the book with him though, he gets mad. I will get out his books myself and lay on the floor and "read" them. I point to the pictures and say what things are. I just don't know how much he cares! :)

Marcelle - posted on 01/25/2011

Hi

I always read to my two children. Mostly at night before they went to sleep for the night. From the time there was a gap between the last feed and sleep. There were also always cardboard and simpler books around the house for them to pick up and ask to be read to. At one stage DD wouldn't get up until I had read her 3 books, thankfully they were short.

Do the voices, it is fun for them. And it is good for your self confidence ;)

Yes, both children speak very well, but academic results do still depend on their interests.

Danielle - posted on 01/25/2011

I started reading to my daughter from about 11/12 months old whilist settling her for bed, just to get her used to the routine. I started with VERY short, BIG picture books that could withstand some damage lol (cardboard books or those plastic ones for bath are good). As she got into her toddler years she wanted to start taking part a bit more, but obviously still couldn't read but loved to point out things whilist I told her the words for them. It is a fabulous learning experience while at the same time if they're just laying in bed it's very soothing and a great bonding time for mum/child. I can't remember exact age I stopped reading to Jasmin at night, but I think about 8 or 9 and I only stopped because she requested she wanted to start reading her "own" books by herself. By grade 5 she was reading chapter books at a grade 9 level. I HONESTLY believe that my reading to her from such a young age every single night has had a great influence on English - Spelling, Writing and Reading being her top subjects each year on her report card. The thing is..... my mother did it with me too, from a toddler age upwards, and I always topped my English classes and now enjoy writing fiction and poetry.
Anyway.......it may be a little bit of family bias lol but it's food for thought. Cheers ;)

Elda - posted on 01/25/2011

Amanda, you are the adult. You don't LET children rip books. Just don't let him take it out of your hand.. All kids are different. My children would sit on my lap (always have them sit on your lap) and listen to simple stories from about12 months but my grandson wouldn't sit still until one day when he was about 20 months I help him on my lap while reading Goldilocks. When I got to the stage of using the voices for the daddy bear, baby bear he got fascinated and no longer struggled. After that everyone had to read Goldilocks to him....lol!

Good Day! - posted on 01/25/2011

Amanda, I'm going to respectfully disagree on your opinion of "My Baby Can Read." I received a Master of Education from Louisiana State University and I taught reading, so this is not an uniformed opinion. Basically the program teaches using whole language and memorization which is only a small part of actually reading. Reading is a complex skill that also includes fluency, comprehension, and phonics. I'm glad you've found it useful, but I disagree with the research done on it.

Amanda - posted on 01/25/2011

I bought "My Baby Can Read" program for my child. I am an education major at the University of Northern Iowa and I believe that this program works. My son loves for me to read to him and he will often go and pick a book up himself to read. He's been doing it at least since his first birthday, maybe sooner. The research about the program is accurate as far as learning is concerned. The program is $65 at WalMart. Weather you believe a baby can read or not, at least I have proof that my son loves to read and be read to. Hope this helps.

Marsha - posted on 01/25/2011

At his age, you should use books that have hard pages, meaning thick card board pages.

Melissa - posted on 01/25/2011

My daughter is 16 months too, she loves to play with books. We have LOTS of board books, mostly pictures, colours, etc... She loves to go get them. Even books they can act ("Barnyard Dance" is a great one) out through stomping, etc.. is great! Another fav with my daughter and dayhome kids are the monkey ones (No more monkies jumping on the bed). Don't worry so much about the "reading" the book part, but focus on the words and his comprehension of objects! You can try to read a little more in the evenings (my daughter is not much for longer books but we did try to do them in the earlier months). Even read from the cereal box, spell the words, say the letters, etc...

Sherri - posted on 01/25/2011

Eh I never read to them till they could ask. My older two were rarely read too. My oldest is now reads 3 novels a week. He has seriously almost read every possible book they have to read in the school library. I wouldn't push it do it when they are ready.

Deanna - posted on 01/25/2011

I had this problem when I first started reading to my kids before they were 1 yr old. I stopped each one of them when they did it and took the book back. I sat them on my lap and continued to read. If they kept getting up I would put them down and go clean something. If I sat down and they wanted me to read I would start reading. When they would leave I would stop. When they came back I would simply tell them "No, you won't sit with mommy while she reads then she doesn't have to read to you. You read the book." I would move on to something else. A few hours later I would ask my child if they want mommy to read to them. If the answer was yes I would read and I would remind them that they needed to sit still until the book was done. We never read books unless they were age appropriate as well. Picture books or books with very few words on each page worked just fine for that age and I could always add more to the story if I wanted to.
They only ever tore a book intentionally once. I took that book away, told them very sternly NO, YOU DON'T TEAR AND BREAK THINGS. I sat them away from all of their toys in the room, got all of their stuff and put it up out of reach and where they couldn't get to it. Once that was done I sat the destroyed (torn) book back in front of them with the damage visible and told them they can play with that since they want to be mean. Mine always threw fits, and pouted but after a while they would also bring the book back to me. When they did they would want in my lap and want a hug, which they got. They would then be allowed to have one or two toys out or even another book.

Adrienne - posted on 01/25/2011

I started to read to my now 3yr old while she was in the womb & now she begs me to read a book to her. Try DVD that may have story lines or does he have a favorite cartoon character that may wrk for him just don't give up he is at an age were he is full of energy. You could also try bedtime right before it could become a great routine hope this helps

Judy - posted on 01/24/2011

Kids are so curious sometimes! And they like to take the initiative to do it themselves. Perhaps you can try reading to your son while he eats in his high chair or when he is tired. Also, you can get these really cute playful books that read with sound (I have one), that way he can see it light up and hear the story at the same time! I hope it gets better; don't stop because reading is so important to incorporate into your child's life. =)