Reading books

So my boys have never had any interest in being read to. They will be 6 months old in a couple of days (3 months adjusted), and they still hate to sit and have a book read to them. They squirm and whine and want to do anything else other than sit and read even the shortest of books. We went to our developmental specialist a couple of weeks ago, and he said our boys are doing well developmentally and may even be ahead of what their adjusted age is, and he asked us how often we read to them and how long do we spend reading to them. I had to fib a bit and said we read to them every other day at least 10 minutes each time, but to be honest, Andy and Will won't sit still and start crying about 30 seconds into Dr. Seuss's The Foot Book. So we only end up reading to them maybe once or twice a week, and it's a struggle keeping them from pitching a fit each time. How often do you guys read to your babies and when did they start to enjoy being read to?

 

When my DD1 ped asked me this, I fudged too, and for the same reasons. She hated being still, and it felt like what's the point? It wasn't until about 10 mo. that she started liking being read to, and only VERY simple books. Animal sound books were a hit, and also those ones with texture. Now she reads to the twins, and they try to eat the book.

 

we read to them A LOT when they were littler, but now they mostly just want to grab the book and eat it. DD is so hard to read to, but I still try to read her atleast a book a day, ds can actually sit on my lap and read for a good 5-10 mins.

 

Mine have always loved books for some reason. When they were little and not crawling away, I would lay on the floor between them and hold the book up for them both to see. They really like the Sandra Boynton books, the PeekABoo texture books, and any other books that they can grab and tug on. We still read at least 3 books before each nap and bed, plus they bring me books during play time (especially the Wheels on the Bus book - they love the song so they LOVE the book!). Do your like songs? Sandra Boynton's Snuggle Puppy book is actually one that you can sing, and it was the first book that caught their interest when they were only a few months old. Maybe that could be a starting point?

Try different things - like lying down with them - and different books to see if that helps. Mine love those simple books, and I have to say they hated when I tried to read Dr. Seuss to them - I tried One Fish, Two Fish and they both got bored. Too long, not enough pictures, and the pages could rip so they couldn't pull on them! When mine started rolling/crawling, I didn't try to restrain them. I just started reading and if they were interested, they stayed. Sometimes one would roll away, but I would keep going for the other one. Usually the roller would come back when I got to a favorite part. After hearing the stories a bunch of times, there were certain parts that would make them giggle (like "tickle, tickle, tickle" in From Horns to Toes or basically the entire first half of "Moo, Baa, LaLaLa"), so much so that I could say them out of context with no book in my hand and they would both crawl over. HTH!

 

I read to my dd at about 5 months and it was the shortened version of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish with the plastic fish on top and it was more for her to touch the fish but the text was easy to recite. Now my twins are almost 6 months (about 4 months corrected) and they are just starting to want to grab things so I think we will start reading to them in the next couple of days. We are just trying to get both of them to sleep first (one does, second just started - see my CIO post Hahaha).

 

I have been fortunate that my guys love being read to & love reading&eating books.

Let's see we started early um... 2-3 months old? with only 1 book. The Very Hungry Caterpiller.(I can't spell it right)
Then at 3-4 months we added alot of picture books. They love cars&trucks and farm animals. I have been adding
sound effects which makes it fun.
At 5 months we did Where is Baby's Bellybutton? This is one that they still seek out of the piles of books.
Dr. Seuss is still too long to keep their attention.

I caught them reading to each other today. So cute to see them turn the pages.
Oops..to answer your original question... I read to them at least 15 mins a day.

 

At 1-2 mos. we were reading every day - it was interesting to them I guess because anything different was. Then came 3 mos and they got impatient and could care less, except for Dr. Seuss Oh the Places you'll go. I speed read that sucker - I think they like the rhyming but I know they love the pics in that book - really contrasting. I gave up for a while because I was frustrated. I was dead set on this bedtime scenario where I would read to them like a perfect little family...heh heh. Now what I do is I read to them when they seem happiest - never at night! Usually in the late morning or after a nap when they are playing with something else - exersaucer or playmat. Then I just read to my heart's content hoping that they will pick something up from it. They do occasionally glance my way and check out a picture or two. Not sure how long I read - I just pick 5 or 6 very short board books and one of my favorite Dr. Seuss. I think the key is that I don't make them sit in front of me and give me audience-like attention. My hope is that by 10 or 11 mos they will WANT to listen to stories. I have also layed on the floor on my back between them and held a board book in the air and pointed at pictures and read - they like that because I come down to their level which fascinates them and it is kind of goofy. One time they even fell asleep...good luck. And incidentally, I would totally fib to my pedi also! :bump:

 

I read to my LOs once or twice a day for about 10 min. each time. They have always been interested in books. They LOVE the soft books. They will always go for those books over any other book. They were kind of expensive, but I'm glad we bought them. I suppose once they are more mobile, they won't want to sit to read anymore. We've tried reading to them before bed, but they are usually too tired and cranky then.

 

First off, we have a Will and Andy too!!

Anyway, my two aren't big fans of sitting still either. I recently decided to just read to them anyway. They may be crawling around the playroom, but they're still listening. Every so often one of them will make their way over to check out the pictures. I also read to them in their exersaucers/high chairs.

Before they were crawling, I would put them in their respective Boppys and lay in between them, holding the book above us. I think they liked that, and would lay there for about 1/2 a book or so.

I also have a couple big board books that I lay on the floor, and just leave open while I read, and they come by and crawl over it...or chew on it! I think the main thing reading does is provide a lot of new and different vocab, so as long as they can hear you, I think you're good.

 

I read two books to them once a day and they started to really love it around 4 months old, before then it was hard as like yours they just weren't interested and would get grouchy. After the mid morning feeds and solids i sit them in bouncies and read to them, as soon as they see the books coming out they get excited it's really nice now. I would pick there happiest time of day for us it's midmorning after play and food but before tiredness sets in for the 2nd nap. When i read i'm ery animated and i think that helps to keep them interested, after i always let them have a flick through and then it's off for a nap. I would keep trying with it, i'm sure there love of books will improve if you persist and as they get older.

 

I am a teacher and vowed to have my kids reading by 3. Reading to my infants was very important to me and I was always shocked when I heard parents weren't reading to their kids. Hmm...then reality set in. While I was pregnant I read to my tummy 3 times a day. When the babies arrived I read to them in the NICU. When they came home, I couldn't find time to read to them. When they were 4 months they fell in love with a baby face book and it was the only way they would do tummy time. From 6-12 months they wanted nothing to do with books other than eat them. Around a year though they started sitting still for board books (Boynton, Eric Carle, Goodnight Moon) and then playing with them later. They LOVE our giant board book of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. If you go to Barnes and Noble they have a huge board book section. Start with the ones that only have a sentence or two on each page.

 

Good advice! I too am a teacher (special ed 2-5) and those Dr. Seuss books are very long for an infant to get through. I read to them in their highchairs while they are snacking. I choose colorful books that have one sentence per page and lots of rhyme and rhythm, almost melodic. They love it.

 

I really didn't start reading to them til their 1st birthday. They weren't interested until then and to be honest I never could find the time. Now, they love me to read to them. They'll bring me a book and climb in my lap. So cute.

 

i tried reading to them but they would fuss and get distracted and i spent most of my time putting the book down and trying to wrangle them back onto the play mat. they would look at the pictures and listen for a few pages and then that was all they would tolerate.

these days it's getting a little easier, finally. they look at the pictures, grab at the pages and try to turn them, and they look back and forth from the book to my face. so we're only just at a point where i feel like we can make a regular thing out of this.

 

I read to my girls all the time. But not children's books.... I read boring stuff, like my study material for my series 7 license.... I figure if they hear the different words and my voice that it will keep them interested because "stock splits and FINRA regulations" are not what I normally talk to them about....

 

I honestly have not found the time to read to my girls yet - they are six weeks old. I hope to start soon - even though they probably won't have any interest. I think it is good for them to hear the language and rhythm. With my DD we had this book called Mimi's Toes - it was a plastic book that was for the bath. When she was a few months old we started reading it in the bathtub to her - with lots of interaction throughout (tickling and tapping on the body parts mentioned in the book) - she loved it! That book lasted forever - she always wanted us to read it. Besides that - any books with texture in them - like the animal books - she loved!! Now she is still reading every night before bed - either by herself or we read to her. I can't wait to start reading to the girls as well.

 

My older 2 kids I read to them when they started bringing me books, so around a year or so. My oldest ds is starting grade 2 in a week and at the end of grade 1 he was reading at a grade 2+ level already. My older dd is just turning 3 but she can count to 14 and starting to read letters. I don't think not reading to them every single day has hindered either of them

With the twins I haven't really read anything to them yet, but it won't be long and we'll start. I have a ton of books (a small bookshelf full of board books and a big bookshelf filled with paper books), I enjoy reading and do it often, as does dh. So my kids grow up around books. I think it's more in the attitude you approach reading (and any other learning) that makes a huge difference. If it's a chore to read to them, instead of being fun and relaxing, kids will pick up on it and not enjoy it as much. At least that's how it seems to be with my kids

 

I don't push. Even my 2 year old would rather play then sit for an entire book. I read to my kids during breakfest sometimes. Their just setting there and Milo wont try to "Play" cause he's to busy eating. Could you try putting them in high chairs with a toy to keep them happy while you read? There is just so much in their new world to explore, who has time to sit still?!

 

I read to mine when they got old enough to sit still and enjoy it. I'm thinking 18 months?

They are 6 now and read chapter books, so I don't think waiting hurt their reading skills.