Are my kids doomed when it comes to reading?

I'm worried my kids will never get into books now... We didn't read to them when they were babies (too exhausted, plus I have issues understanding what's going on when I read aloud so I'm a pretty horrible reader). Then when I tried again they kept crowding over me, turning pages etc... it hasn't stopped. When I try, they just want to turn the pages or point at things and don't listen to me at all. They love books, but when they get one, they just look at a couple pages then they are done.

Surely I don't have the only kids in the world that don't like being read to?

 

My son was like that, he always asked us to read to him but as soon as we started he would point and turn pages so we just let him do what he wanted and kept trying to read. Around 3-3 1/2 is when he started to listen and not try to turn pages. He LOVES when we read to him now and will sit and listen to the same story over and over (he just turned 4 in Aug).

 

At least they are interested in the books, right? That is really the important thing. Let them point to whatever they want, ask them what they see, try to tell them short versions of the story if they don't want to listen to the whole thing. The point at this age is to instill a love of books, they don't necessarily have to sit & listen to the story, that will come later. I found my kids, at that age, loved to look at the pictures & play I spy, where I would spy things & they had to find them.

 

Yeah I got a couple Ispy books for Christmas.

 

My boys had a very hard time sitting still and listening to a book before age 3. Developing the love of books, though, is more important than them being still and listening. And, they will eventually figure out that the story is pretty good, too. But, for now, just follow their lead and talk about the pictures. I also started taking my guys to library story time every week at 2.5 and that was a time when they would listen a little, at least. We would check out a stack of fresh books each time and they soon discovered that the library was a cool place. Once they were out of cribs, I started to sit on the floor between their beds and read stories at nap and bedtime. That went much better than the lap stories. At age 3, they also decided they wanted to read the books themselves and asked me to teach them to read. Talk about a 180!

They're reading Level 1 books now (they turned 5 last month) and writing legibly. I never would have thought at 2 when they were exhibiting the same behavior you've described that we would be where we are now but it happened. And they LOVE books.

 

I have only recently begin acctually reading every word in the book to my kids. I ahve alwaysd read to them but use the term loosely. first we would just look at the pics and name them. Then I would tell a 1 sentence about what was happening. Now they like the whole story as long a it isn't too long. Don't give up. As a former teacher books are important. Find a time that will work. Right before bed often works and if he doesn't want to then they can go to bed instead, but stay up late if they want to read. Turn books/reading into something special/treat.

WE also love storytime at the library. Free 30 min a week and then they each choose 3 books to take home. We started with board books and have moved into mroe complicated. You can do it.

 

I do the same thing with my two. Some times they will tell me that they want to "read" to me and it's their version of the story via the pictures. My two really vary, sometimes they will sit good for the duration of the story and other times they don't pay the least bit of attention, so I try to shorten it.

 

I would say just give it time and offer books when you can. I know for us it's hard because my youngest still tears the pages :headbang: But the twins love them. We do have our moments and most of the time my dd won't let me "read" to her. She wants to read and I just sit there and "help" :laughing:
Now my oldest was read to every single day and he loved books. But he was a late reader, and still only reads what he HAS to read. I love to read so this is new to me but he just doesn't care for it. I'm hoping some day he will.

 

As a teacher, I can tell you that there is still a lot of value to looking at books and pointing to things and letting them turn the pages. Talk to them about what they see in the pictures. Ask them to describe things to you. Exposure to books is a big thing. The reading will come. Do keep trying, but don't stress if they aren't fully focused on all the text yet.

 

I try to act out a few things on the pages, the same things each time. now when I read the book and the "splash" part comes, I kinda splash my hand on the page, and now each time they do that too. and ours do the "tap tap tap" when they see the hammer on another page. for us its been good to just read a few books. we read the same stories from our church quarterly every night and they know what's coming, its pretty cute. I also let them take turns turning pages. My nanny says it works nicely for one to turn pages in the first book and then the 2nd twin turn the 2nd book, but that doesn't work for me. I have to do every other page. and we just say its Davis's turn, Jessa's turn... actually they keep track and do it.

hopefully yours will start paying attention. I only started reading to them again in the last few months. before that they seemed so distracted.