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Struggling with Read Alouds
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We started reading Five Little Peppers and How They Grew in April. We are still working on it. I don’t know what to do. My oldest (8) loves it and begs for it. My 6 year old gets restless before we are through a chapter. I get frustrated by the lack of attention and give up before we are through the chapter.
My oldest was able to listen to chapter book at about age 5, but his brother really has a hard time with it. There is also a 4 year old and a 2 year old, but I don’t expect them to sit and listen.
But this just isn’t working. Read Alouds end up not being read because I get frustrated. Ideas? Should I just find books that appeal more to the younger one until he develops a longer attention span?
How often are you trying to read? (I ask because I know some CM homeschoolers read a book once a week, which naturally drags it out longer, while others read daily, which naturally would help you finish sooner.)
At our house we try to read daily, often including the weekends, but not always. The goal with most books we read is 1 chapter per day, or in books with especially long chapters we aim for 1/2 a chapter per day.
A few things that work at my house:
– Read aloud during a meal or snack where kids are required to sit at the table. This really helps because their mouths are full so they complain less when they don’t like a book.
– Hand out playdoh, coloring materials, etc (quiet activities) too keep them busy and hopefully quieter. I understand being frustrated with reading aloud when kids get noisy! I don’t want to shout to be heard. We also talk about how it is rude/disrespectful to talk when it is not our turn, and read aloud time would be one of those ‘not our turn’ times. 😉
– Read aloud for a set amount of time instead of for a chapter goal. This helps kids get used to a routine of “we read for 10 minutes”. Use a timer! When it goes off time is up, but until it goes off they are expected to sit quietly.
– Try a different book. Yes, sometimes a book just isn’t a good fit.
– Try an audio book. This frees you up to help the child who is struggling to quietly listen without complaining (snuggle up with them, shush gently, get them coloring or doing playdoh, shush again, repeat). Again, you can listen for a set amount of time with a timer or for a chapter or two.
– Read more than once per day. We were finishing up Anne of Green Gables last week and listened to 2 chapters most days – but instead of having the kids sit through 2 chapters in a row, we did 1 chapter and then later in the day did another.
Maybe you could try reading from 2 different books? One that appeals to the 8yo and one that appeals to the 6yo?
My kids are 6 and almost-4 and they vary in what they like. If it’s a book they both like, they fight to squish into the chair with me. If one isn’t interested, that one will wander off (and I’m ok with it). And sometimes, they’ll both leave. If they both leave, I quit the book and find something else. Our read alouds are still just for pleasure, though, not school.
Great ideas!
Our school schedule has “literature” once a week. That’s the category this book is falling into. We do other read aloud times during the week. We are doing SCM’s Ancient Egypt this year. Right now, we are going through Exodus and I can usually only make it through half the Commentary reading before my 6 year old is gone. We just started Boy of the Pyramids and I think that’ll hold his attention better.
I’ve started reading from “Storytime with the Millers” before bed most nights to just help the 6 year old with practice at listening. He listens to that much better and it has pictures.
Reading at a meal is a good idea! I’ll have to try that. I think an audio book would be a good idea, too. I’ll have to check into finding some.
To be honest, I don’t require my 6 year old to sit for everything. He’s a wriggly, busy boy and does not prefer school over legos! He loves to be read to, but not always the books we are reading for school. So more often than not, he’s allowed to get down during history or literature read alouds. Sometimes one will really catch his attention and he stays the whole time. He is required to stay for Bible though.
Tristan had great ideas, and one that I also do; reading during meals. I do most of our family subjects during breakfast and lunch, and that way my 6 year old gets some of it unwillingly but without complaining because he’s eating:) It has worked out great for our family, we get so much more done that way.
I have 3 children- 1, 3.5, and 6.5. We do all of our “literature” just before nap/rest time every day. They all lay down at the same time, so first I go in with the baby & read her a short little board book then put her to bed. By this time, my 3.5yo has chosen her picture book for the day, pottied, etc., so I go in & read with her & then she goes to bed. Next I go in with my 6.5yo, (and he’s been using potty, getting stuff ready for his “rest” time, picking up toys, etc.) and we read the next chapter in whatever book I’ve chosen. The whole thing probably takes about 20 min. total, but it is the most special time of day in our house! It’s a great way to get in one-on-one time with each of them, alone with no interruptions! They love it & have no idea it’s even related to school. 🙂 I also never ask for a narration from my 1st grader at these times- I want them to learn to love reading & I can tell he pays attention b/c it usually comes out in other conversations, imaginative play, etc., though occasionally I’ll ask what he thinks might happen next (which requires knowing what’s going on, haha).
I’ve found that if books stretch out too terribly long, we all lose interest in them. I would rather read for 15 minutes a day from our chosen literature book than once a week. I would be tired of The Five Little Peppers by now!
We listened to 5 Little Peppers in the car. It was a book that I dreaded reading aloud, and one that some of my girls would have complained about if we’d have listened to for too long. So listening in the car was perfect. Most of our car trips are about 15 minutes or less, so it took a couple months, but they almost enjoyed the book ☺.
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