Bed time routine

So, my boys used to happily cuddle up and read a book before bed but for the past several months they have no interest in sitting and reading and would rather run around and play. They go to bed fine so I'm not concerned with them revving themselves up. I am, however, concerned about their disregard for reading. Is this just a really long stage? Will they return to books? Reading was/is such a huge part of my life and I really want to instill that in my kids but obviously I can't force it on them. I know they are young and we have plenty of time but I was just wondering about others' experiences.

 

Perfectly normal. At that age, we switched books for singing a favorite song. Eventually, they will be ready for reading again.

 

I read all the time and couldn't wait to read to my babies...well, didn't work out that way...All they would ever do when I read to them was cry for the book so they could eat it, even if I gave them a toy so I could read to them didn't work. Now, I can't even get past the first page before they are crying and grabbing for the book, so they could guess what? eat it! I am hoping once they get a little bigger they will have the attention span to acutally listen and look.

 

mine LOVE reading when they get up in the am and from naps, and during the day. but lately, they just want to play before bed too - or they want to read books themselves but not have us read them.

are there other times when they read with you?

 

No, they really don't care too much. I can't even go to story/music time at the library because they wreak havoc on the place. They won't sit still for a minute. It's like they are caged animals set free. LOL. They do have plenty of time to release they're energy. I guess I just wish they would sit quietly for a minute. LOL.

 

Yeah, mine don't sit for reading either. They were in a big stage of bringing us books to read over and over again, but now they prefer to look at it themselves. DH bought them some small books with real paper (opposed to board books) thinking we could start actually sitting and reading to them like one imagines that parents do, but all they did was fight to hold the book, so away it went for now. A&B also play pretty much right up until bedtime, I do put on a quiet DVD towards the end to wind them down, and I have started trying to get them to participate in putting the toys away before bed.

 

My girls go back and forth. Some nights they sit with me while I read a book, other nights they play around while I read aloud.
Most nights we watch a home video for about 15 minutes then head back to their room for "reading time".

 

Just this very WEEK mine started sitting down for storytime before naps and bedtime. It's a miracle!! Mine never sit still period, so I know your concern. At that age (and up until this week) we either put them to bed without storytime, or I often put them in their cribs, sat between their cribs and read to them. Granted they were jumping up and down in their cribs, throwing out their toys, talking to themselves/each other, and occasionally listening to the book. But I think they still get something out of it, and have heard this from others, so I just kept at it! It will get better, but it might take time.

And as a pp commented on, we are still on board books - paper books would get ripped up in an instant. And mine still chew on board books now and then!

 

I was just getting on to post this very question...thank you! Mine stopped sitting still for books at about 8 mos., but I kind of expected them to be interested again by now. If I try to snuggle with them (even one at a time), they grab and turn the pages and then get up and move on to something else. I have tried laying on our tummies with the books out in front of us - they climb on top of the books and then start pushing them around the room. I have even tried strapping them into their infant carseats and sit between them - they end up whining the whole time because they can't touch the book. I thought maybe I had neglected to teach them some kind of self control - but I guess it is just normal for their age. Thanks again for the post.