How much do you read to your babies?

I am trying to make an effort to read to my babies more. All of a sudden I've become very conscious about it, maybe overly-so. My mom claims that when I was only able to crawl, she'd read to me so much and so often that if she told me to get a specific book I would crawl over to the book shelf and bring it to her.

So, how often do you read to your babies? Do you read to them together at the same time, or separately? I am making sure I read at least 1 book to each baby per day. I am keeping a couple of books next to my rocking chair and whenever I have a baby on my lap who is awake and alert I am going to read her a book. Their attention spans are so short right now there is no point in trying to read them more than 1 book at a time, they lose interest. But if I have time I will read them a book a couple of times throughout the day.

Do you think that reading to babies is important at a very young age or only when they get older?

 

I've been trying to read them a book or a story a day. I think it's really important for language development. Sometimes they are interested, sometimes not but I read anyway. I either sit on the floor with them or hold one on my lap if the other is playing.

 

This is a great question - I have been wondering when to start books! DH has ready several books to the girls and they seem to enjoy it for a short time. I tend to sing to them. Funny, because I am the reader in the family! Guess I will start reading a book a day with them!

 

QUOTE(aimeethomp @ Apr 15 2008, 09:20 AM) [snapback]722353[/snapback]
I am trying to make an effort to read to my babies more. All of a sudden I've become very conscious about it, maybe overly-so. My mom claims that when I was only able to crawl, she'd read to me so much and so often that if she told me to get a specific book I would crawl over to the book shelf and bring it to her.

So, how often do you read to your babies? Do you read to them together at the same time, or separately? I am making sure I read at least 1 book to each baby per day. I am keeping a couple of books next to my rocking chair and whenever I have a baby on my lap who is awake and alert I am going to read her a book. Their attention spans are so short right now there is no point in trying to read them more than 1 book at a time, they lose interest. But if I have time I will read them a book a couple of times throughout the day.

Do you think that reading to babies is important at a very young age or only when they get older?


My mom apparently read to me constantly, and when I was 18 months, I could recite all the nursery rhymes and most of my books. I've always loved reading. Who knows if it is a result of all her reading to me or not. But just in case, I try to read to mine a lot - I don't manage it as much as I would like because, well, I have TWO babies, so as we know it's hard to get anything done.

 

I read to them quite a bit. A little every day. At this point, it helps them associate reading with a positive experience.

My mom has a masters in elementary education, and took a class on language development. As far as language development goes, right now the most important thing is to talk to them, make eye contact while talking, and repeat the noises they make back to them.

 

I try to read a few short board books to them before their morning nap. It doesn't happen every day, but it happens several times a week.

I usually do it together.

They really like texture books--someone gave us a book with touch and feel kittens, and they love the fur on the first page.

It's good to hear that there are real benefits to reading to them at this age. Hopefully that will motivate me to do it more!

 

I try to read something to them eveyday but I don't always get to it. I do feel bad if I don't read to them one day though, I hope it will get easier to do when they start sitting more.

 

I have been reading to Jack and Lily for about 15 minutes before each nap. I bring them upstairs 15 minutes before nap time and we sit in Lily's room and read (sometimes they completely ignore me, wrestle, or fight over the books but I continue to sit there and read anyway) and then put them in bed.

 

I've been reading about two books a day since they were in the NICU. When we visited, we wanted them to get used to our voices and with so many nurses around, it felt strange to sit and have a conversation with them so that's what we chose to do. They actually seemed most interested around your babies' age. They are interested and actually excited about books right now, but they are also more mobile and wanting to scoot to the book and beat on it and eat it. But they giggle every time I turn the page of a book...super cute. I say just make a habit of it now and it will become second nature by the time they REALLY need it.

 

QUOTE(aimeethomp @ Apr 15 2008, 09:20 AM) [snapback]722353[/snapback]
I am trying to make an effort to read to my babies more. All of a sudden I've become very conscious about it, maybe overly-so. My mom claims that when I was only able to crawl, she'd read to me so much and so often that if she told me to get a specific book I would crawl over to the book shelf and bring it to her.

So, how often do you read to your babies? Do you read to them together at the same time, or separately? I am making sure I read at least 1 book to each baby per day. I am keeping a couple of books next to my rocking chair and whenever I have a baby on my lap who is awake and alert I am going to read her a book. Their attention spans are so short right now there is no point in trying to read them more than 1 book at a time, they lose interest. But if I have time I will read them a book a couple of times throughout the day.

Do you think that reading to babies is important at a very young age or only when they get older?


I've been reading to them since they were about two months old regularly. We have one book that they both LOVE and it is the first item I have actually seen them become jealous over just recently. It is a Care Bears Balloons Countdown book and they love the repetition and the colors. In the past month when we are done reading I give it to them to hold one at a time and when I give it to the other they scream!!!! I cannot believe how much they love this book. I've read others, but this so far is the favorite. I may need to find another copy! I hadn't considered needing two of each book!

I recite nursery rhymes all the time. I have so many memorized from childhood and sometimes I'll forget a line or two and just go look it up online. I hadn't thought about a book of nursery rhymes, but that is a good idea!

I love it that they get alert and watch the book and me when I read to them. So SPECIAL!!

 

Not sure how often my SO does when he's home with them, but on the weekends I always read to them. I put both in their bouncy chairs side by side and sit in front of them. I either read a story or an ABC book. They like looking at the pictures

 

I think it's important even at a young age, but not something to stress about. It should be something fun. When they're little, the point is to develop the association between reading and fun (and cuddling!). If you only have time for a book per baby per day, that's fine. It's still totally worth it!

We started reading to them at about 2 months. It did seem sort of silly at first, but we have pictures from when they were 3 or 4 months old and already looking intently at the books. There was a phase starting around 9 months (maybe earlier) when they figured out how to grab the pages, and it seemed silly again for awhile because they would flip the pages faster than we could actually read. But we figured we were still maintaining that positive association that reading = fun. Once they settled down again (18 months? maybe earlier?) they started really paying attention -- pointing out animals in the books, etc.

 

I'm a reading specialist And yes, reading early is important. I will most likely start reading to mine in a month or so. It is also very important to letr them play w/ board books. Reading to them and letting them play teaches them a LOT about books - more than just language! They learn which way to hold a book, which direction to read it in, etc. You would be amazed at the number of kids who come to kinder w/out ever being read to who do not know how to hold a book! So everything that goeas along w/ book reading, they are learning indirectly and it is super important!

Of course, if you don't always get to it don't feel guilty!

 

I have a 3.5 yr old, so my twins get read to by proxy all the time. I don't think I've specifically read them 'baby books' yet, but they have heard many of DD's stories (she likes longer picture books; not chapter books yet, but she is well past board books!)

I think the most important facet of reading to a baby at this age is the cadence and tone of the reading voice... I love it when I have all 3 kids rapt while reading to them!

 

Okay, maybe I'm the first to admit that I don't do such a good job at this. With our first DD, she got read to ALL the time. It was a part of our nap and bedtime routine from the time she was very tiny...and she got read to other times during the day too. And she LOVES books now! With the twins, I've gotten into it a bit more lately, but this post is a good reminder to try to do it more. A lot of nights I'm putting the three girls to bed by myself (since DH works some evenings). It's easier to get the twins bathed, fed, etc. and into bed and then read to my older DD. A few times when she's been out with Daddy, I've noticed how easy it is to read books to the younger two...at any time of day.

So I've noticed a lot of responses are from those without other children. How about some of you other moms with an older toddler? How do you do with reading to your kids?

 

[SIZE=10pt]I've been reading to them since they were in the womb :lol: I would read my "What to expect book" aloud or when I would be reading with my oldest daughter (14) we would read aloud occassionally.

Actually reading "to them" we started around a month, just short lil stories. Now we read at least one book a day. It's part of our bedtime routine. We read "Goodnight Moon" in the rocker in their room. They know when we get done reading it, it's bedtime.

I do have books out on the floor all day long with their other toys. Depending on how the day is going, I'll sit on the floor and read 'in general' and they'll play with books or come over and sit on my lap and 'listen'.

Like pp's have said...It's great if you read to them daily ~ but definitely nothing to beat yourself up over.

April [/SIZE]

 

I've read to them from the time they came home. I used to do it when they were fussy in the evenings and I just didn't have anything else to say ( ). When they were tiny I'd put them in the boppies facing me and hold the pages so they could see.

They when they got mobile I brought out all the board books. Ana is my little bookworm. As soon as she was mobile she'd go grab a book and flip through the pages. Meara will listen and look while playing with other things, although sometimes she sits and looks at books by herself.

I don't stress about it and its not really part of their routine.. just part of playing every day. If they aren't too tired at night, I read them a story after putting on Pjs but before bottles. Some nights they are just DONE though and want their bottles and to go to bed.. thats fine too. Build it into how you play and interact with them, but don't worry if you don't read to them for a certain amount of time every day. I think its more important for reading for fun to just be part of your daily life.

 

I only read to them about a book a day (usually the same book). They don't really get it yet, but I figured it is good for them to hear my speech and like pp said, associate it with cuddling and fun. I also read them my emails and sometimes news stories I am reading online. I basically just say my thoughts out loud most of the day. I think it is good for them to hear the sounds/words.

 

I read to mine daily as well. Usually I read to them from the Parenting magazine and tell them that Mommy will do all those things the best I can. They mostly just like hearing my voice.

Recently Thomas has started loving being read to and I read him a bunch of little board books each day. Sometimes Elizabeth will crawl over and listen as well.

Reading is very important to both my DH and I!

 

I try to read one little book each day while they are sitting in their bouncy seats. Mostly just Hop on Pop by Dr Seuss cause it is rhymey & they seem to be interested or the Sassy brand (plastic squishy/w/ mirros) books like Hello Bee Hello Me.
last night they cried through the whole book when I tried to read Goodnight Moon....they won, i gave up

 

I used to be very persistent with reading each day, but lately, it hasn't been happening. The boys do NOT sit still, pull the book out of our hands, turn the pages, chew the book, etc. Now that I've read some pps, I guess we'll try again & just get the whole reading=fun thing down again. My boys LOVE the Sandra Boynton books & we love to read them because they're fun. I bought some board books yesterday with babies in them because I've heard they like to look at pictures of other babies (which they did).

I started reading in-utero. I had a Dr. Suess book that was written to be read to the baby in the womb (I'm totally blanking on the title). I read it EACH day & loved feeling the response the boys would give me the further along they got (they'd always get really 'wild' when I read it). I knew they enjoyed. It's not a board book, so I don't really read it to them anymore to see if they recognize it, but maybe in the future.

I also agree that reading is important. I'm a HUGE reader & read a TON as a kid, but I was also read to daily. I was reciting entire books by 18 mos. Guess I better get back on the ball with reading to my squirmy wormies again!

 

We started reading as soon as we got home from the hospital, and boy do they love it. We probably read at least 15 books a day, between my DH and I. We read for a good 15 minutes before each nap, then before bed, and also one or two random books here and there throughout the day.

We found that if we do goofy voices they get really into it. At Christmastime I had to read the grinch over and over because Anneke loved my grinchy-grinch voice. She would laugh and laugh. Someday she'll know I stole it from the cartoon, but oh well. They go crazy over DH's "Cat in the Hat" voice too, and anytime we read Doctor Suess as fast as we can. Today I was about to go running with a friend at work and I said "we're going for a run because we like to run for fun in the hot hot sun" and she thought I was completely insane.

 

I read to them every day, but have gotten WAY more relaxed about it; I used to worry that if i wasn't reading them specific books a certain number of times then i was dooming them......and I got all stressed because i had planned on doing a bath/massage/pajamas/bottle/book routine - but they could never hold out for the book. And now if they are still awake enough after the bottle they mostly want to squirm, or turn the pages really fast. (they are almost 13 months)

I finally figured out that it's ok if sometimes they just want to 'read' half a book or turn some pages and get distracted by something else. I think just the act of reading is what is important; I have talked to them almost constantly since they came home, narrating life, even if it's only that mama is chopping onions and how to do it. But - they go after books on their own all the time now; they sit there and 'read', touch the pages, point, sit in my lap or DH's.

So - I think you can go a bit easy on yourself; have books, read them but don't get too crazy about making sure you do it a certain number of times or at a certain time of day at this age.

 

After reading this post, you have inspired me to read to the girls more. I read to them a lot when they were around 2 months, but it never kept their interest and usually ended in a screaming fest. I started again today by reading them a short board book after they ate in their bouncy chairs and they LOVED it! I'm so excited to start reading to them at least after both meals now. THANK YOU!!!

 

I think reading instills a love of books in them. I try to read to them daily, sometimes they go in streaks of wanting to look at books for hours and sometimes they just want a book at bedtime. I read to them together, at first because it was easier, and now because they both want to be involved.

 

i'm obsessed about this lol when i was pregnant with them, i'd go to thelibrary and pick out children's books and read them out loud lol and now i read to them every day. after their first nap they play for a bit then i put them on the floor and i read like 4 books... they love it! they sit so quietly and just listen and look at the pictures... i'm even teaching them their colors (just the primaries for now ((yeah, i said i was obsessed... my mom asked if i was going to send them to school next month ha)) ). and in the evening during our bedtime routine, i read our baby einstein classical music book. it plays classical music while i read. they LOVE teh musical books!

i've just always LOVED reading, so it's fun for me to read to them, and i love that they are so into it!

 

I read them a few books before nap times each day...so, they get 4-6 books read to them a day. I have been reading to them since they were born, actually before that if you count when I read to them when they were in my belly I do think it is very important for them to be read to. And my kids just LOVE it. If I open up a book they come crawling across the room to hear me read it. So cute.