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Make them listen to books being read?
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I have an almost 9 year old and an almost 6 year old. We are currently reading Pollyanna. My oldest LOVES it and loves reading books in general. She could easily read it herself, but I’m reading it outloud so that my younger daughter will get to listen too. Unfortunately, her response is always, “Ah, I don’t want to listen” or “This is boring”, etc. Do I keep insisting she listen to help her learn to love reading or do I not push it and allow her to run off and play? I don’t make my 4 year old son listen to the story. Would love suggestions!
Thanks,
Rachel
I think you’ll have to judge how your daughter will respond to being made to stay and listen. We’re reading the same book at my house and everyone (ages 10, 6, 5, 3, 2, and 10mos) sit to listen. How do I accomplish this feat? Easy! I read to them while they’re eating snack or lunch at the table. Nobody is allowed to leave the table until we’re done reading, so they take their time eating and the littlest ones are seatbelted in booster seats so they stay sitting. It’s habit for us, so it’s not a big deal, it’s just “normal”.
Will your daughter stay to listen if she has something to color or do with her hands? I do see why she might rebel – with little brother not expected to stay sitting. I wouldn’t want to sit and listen to a book with no pictures while my little brother is playing with toys and running around either. 😉
My almost 6yo does says the same thing, regularly. I usually allow him to color, play quietly, etc. while I read but I don’t allow him to leave the room. He will eventually find something interesting to respond to during or after the reading, so I think it’s worth it to let him color/play quietly, etc. during that time. This is referring to “family” read alouds only. If it’s a book (my 9yo and I finished Peter Pan awhile ago) that is really just for the one child and myself to enjoy together then I don’t require my other 2 to listen in.
My 6yo and I are reading The Litttle House series and I don’t require my other 2 to listen in, unless they want to, but then they are not allowed to interrupt or ask too many questions about the beginning of the chapter/book. They each have their own reads with Mom.
Good points! This book really is for the 9 year old, but I thought it would be good for the 6 year old to listen. She has listened to other books I’ve read, such as Swiss Family Robinson, but I’m having a hard time with this one. I thought she would enjoy this book and so I guess I’m a little disappointed.
That’s a good idea about reading at meals. I’ll try next time to read during lunchtime and see how it goes. One of my favorite times to read is when we are in the truck and daddy runs into stores like Home Depot. I just pull out my iPod Touch and read the books via the Kindle app. They are seat buckled in and have no place to go 🙂
My little guy really has a short attention span and I’m not sure where to begin with him and getting him to sit still for stories, but again, I may have to stick to reading during times when he has to sit still…truck, table, etc. I’ll also try letting them do coloring books or even blank paper to draw scenes from the story?
Sometimes, I worry that I allowed too much twaddle for too many years to now get them to appreciate stories with little or no pictures. I guess if I don’t succeed…try, try again 🙂
Early on my kids were exposed to lots of twaddle and very little quality…sad to say, but I didn’t really think about it (even though I enjoy lots of quality books…I had intended for them to go to ps anyway). But now we have lots of good books to choose from, so there’s always hope. Now they really enjoy good literature and can tell the difference.
My 6yo is very rowdy, active, athletic, etc., “All boy,” as they say and I can get him to listen to short picture books and he may even ask to have them read a second time, yeah! I also find that when he’s in the bathroom (I know, it doesn’t sound pleasant, but it works) is a good time to read a short picture book or a few paragraphs from his lit. Just a thought 🙂
I agree with the above…. and I find that sometime leaving them during an exciting part of the story can really bump their interest for next time. We are reading Boy of the Pyramids, and the other night had to leave off right before the Bull Fight (but when we know it is about to happen…) and they were clambering for more, and were excited the next time when it was time to read it. (Of course, this depends on the book, and also if they ARE listening at least some…)
Sometimes my almost 6yo says she wants to stop now… but if it is a family read (not hers… which I try to stop before she gets to that point…) I’ll say something like…. “We can’t stop now…. it is getting late and Kaffe and Sari are on the way home and the water is rising… I have to find out what happens! Do you think they are going to make it? or… You are going to leave Kaffe and Sari on a ditch with the water rising???” (even though I’ve pre-read it….) Something to get her thinking about what might or might not happen.
But as said… if it really isn’t a book that was for them but for another child…. I would probalby just let them go…. at least while they aren’t 6 yet.
Laughing here about reading to a child in the bathroom, but whatever works!
I hear you about short attention and all boy-ness. Of my six children four are boys, including the last 3 (ages 3, 2, and 10mos) – there is no such thing as real quiet or real still at my house. And even better – baby #7 will be our 5th boy!
One thing we do is begin reading to them at birth – literally from the day they are born. And I’ll admit that twaddle still lives at my house, but so do great books. Our family read aloud is always a good living book, even if it is a good picture book. If I’m reading something just to the little ones they help pick from a stack of picture books.
I think any child can learn to love non-twaddly books, it’s just a process and won’t happen overnight. One of the benefits to homeschooling – we have the time!
I do those read-alouds at quiet time. That way everyone’s in bed just sitting quietly anyway. 🙂 We do my K’ers read-aloud first, with the other 2 girls all crowded around me on her bed. (The 2yo is already in bed by now.) Then, when the picture book is done, everyone to their own beds, and they all listen to the story. My K’er has the choice to look at books or listen to the other read-aloud. Most often, she may be looking at other pictures, but she’s really listening to me read. 😉
Thank you all for your replies! It helps to know I’m not alone! I think that’s a great idea to stop at an exciting spot to make them want more! And the bathroom isn’t a bad idea either 😉 We are downgrading our home for a lifestyle change and I’m taking the opportunity to get rid of a lot of twaddle and replace with better books. I’ll try to be patient and keep plugging away, knowing that even if she’s eating, coloring or whatever, she’s probably picking up some of the story. My 6 yo is very much like me in personality and I was more about playing then reading at her age. I didn’t get into books until middle school age. So I’ll try to keep that in mind. I forgot that one time when I do have sucess in reading to all 3, is if we do it at a campfire. They love that. Unfortunately, we don’t do campfires every day 🙂
Again, thank you all!
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