Reading is impossible!

OK
They love being read to but one always starts grabbing the book and the other starts to scream and it becomes a disaster. I have tried reading at a distance but they both want to hold the book. I don't want to discourage reading but I've started saying "ok then, no reading if we can't get along."

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Shoshana

 

I agree with you completely. Although there is the occassional time or two they will. What I do is put them both on either side of me with different books to hold, and either I read one entirely different, or I kind of read from both of theirs. They usually will look at one of the big ones that can't really be held together.

 

oh same problem here. I kind of gave it up as a bad job. I sometimes give them a book each and make up the story from what I remember. LOL - it usually doesn't last long before I give up. They much prefer to "read" themselves right now. Its a big brawl otherwise.

 

I put them both in their cribs for their nighttime stories and act out the books - running back and forth b/t their two cribs. THEY LOVE IT...

Other than that, no suggestions.

 

I read to them at mealtimes and at bedtime, when they are confined to their high chairs or cribs!

It turns into something more like storytime at the library than cuddling on mommy's lap, but I don't know what else to do either! At least this way they're being read to, even if it's not the snuggly time I envisioned when I thought I was only having one baby.

At mealtimes, I wait until food is done and while they're just working on sippies or finishing up with a few cheerios, I'll read a story or two...usually one with more action because they're well awake. Then at bedtime, I put them in their cribs and sit in a chair in their room and read them a story. They love it and both stand up in their cribs watching me and looking at the pictures in the book.

I also have board books out in their play room where they can get to them but they still mostly just eat them. Sometimes if they seem particularly interested in one, I'll try reading it to them right there, but usually they grab it away before we're done.

 

We had lots and lots of board books. One set came in a box and were almost like building blocks. They could get one in each hand, so I had a slight advantage!

I usually got on the floor with them. They would sometimes fight over who got to sit in my lap, but I got pretty good at double-lapping them (picture doing "the train" down a playground slide ). Also read short books, read to them often and everywhere (tub, car, high chairs).

Don't give up -- they will learn to appreciate the literary experience as much as the wrestling matches!

 

One of my girls will bring me a book to read, I'll sit down on the floor and pull her in to my lap, then as soon as she notices, the other twin will run over & climb on too. I sit cross legged & put one on each knee. Hannah usually manages to wriggle her self down to be on my "real lap" though Then it's a free for all - fight over who can turn the pages, sometimes one will steal the book or the others binky...and we almost never actually read a whole book, every word on every page like I did with DD1 - but they still love it & I figure it's much better than not reading to them!! We have books on a book shelf in their room & the play room but also board books in their toy baskets. I love to see them "reading" to themselves. Today Hannah was reading to Natalie :wub:

 

Could you include another reading session where you read to one at a time? I usually read to the one who wakes up from nap first and get in some good cuddle time while the other is still asleep. Then when my late napper wakes up I'll read to her while the other plays.