Still have a hard time reading to my kids

I still really despise reading to my kids, because mostly DD doesn't care for it, so she ruins the experience for DS and I. DS would actually sit and listen to very long books, but I rarely ever read to him because DS always has to join in and she constantly talks, grabs the book, and is generally disruptive. I know I am doing a disservice to my DS by not reading to him because he really does love it, but I can't handle the constant issues with DD while doing it...anything suggestions?

 

Jack is kind of this way. He is a motor mouth! I just ignore him and continue reading and then when we are done they each get a turn to read it themselves...which is really cute I read to them sitting on their bedroom floor before bed and sometimes this involves Jack jumping on his bed, running around, or just yack, yack, yacking away about the most random things...however, when it comes time for his turn to read the book, he can recite quite a bit of it so I know he's listening Keep on chugging through...it will benefit both!!

 

we went through this, but now the kids are fairly good... I try to let them each pick a book. then most of the time I let that child turn the pages of that book and the other one waits and just looks at the pages. sometimes I let them take turns turning the pages of the same book... though I forget who's turned what pages.

I hate it when they fight over the same book... I mean don't they get it that if their twin picked a book they like, then it's like they get to pick 2 books... ah well, logic must come later.

yes, push through this and hopefully you can get some enjoyable time in too.

I'd read somewhere about having special time with each child... and having a pillow or something to represent that you are in your special time with that child (child can hug pillow while you're reading, or sit on it or whatever)... maybe you could incorporate reading with the one who likes it then something else with the other one... maybe they'd eventually see that reading is fun.

 

We've made it a regular part of our naptime & bedtime routine - it's a complete habit for them to settle down & listen at those times. They each get to pick one book. I also will get them to participate (especially on their favorite books) by not saying certain parts or changing the words slightly - then they get to "read" that part. And I agree with Kim that it's worth just doing & ignoring DD's behaviour. When my girls are super hyper active for whatever reason & don't want to sit calmly for story time, I will often skip some of the reading or even whole pages to finish up a bit quicker & move on. But because it's so ingrained in them now, it's pretty unusual for them to not settle down.

 

Glad we're not alone... still not reading to them because it's so pointless

 

Our boys have always enjoyed being read to, so I can't offer any BTDT experience for my own kids - but when I've taught preschool and in my current classroom, we can often get kids who are not interested in books interested by using different types of books - books with buttons to push that make noise, lift the flap books, big books, textured books, books with mirrors, or song-type books like The Little Teapot, Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc. You can also get pictures/photos that match the pics in the book and then have the kids find the pictures as you are reading the book. So, if you are reading There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly you could have pics of a fly, a cow, a horse, a dog, etc. and when you are reading about her swallowing the fly you can have the kids find the pics of flies, etc. You can then make the reading more "fun" until they begin to like that and then you can start throwing in little short stories.

I'm sorry they don't like being read to, but I bet if you keep persisting eventually it will get better. :hug: Maybe you can read to DS while you give DD something else to do sometimes, so that he is still getting exposure to a variety of books even ones that DD isn't interested in.

 

I am amazed that just in the last little bit ours will tell the story lines of the several books that we read all the time, when I stop reading like pp mentioned.

I wonder if you see about reading just a few books, to see if you can find a favorite.

 

Don't give up. I would stick with short books instead of long ones if her attention span is just not there. How about books that make them interact, for example, my girls got a book last year that is magnetic and they have to find the correct magnet that goes with the page. Maybe that sort of book would entertain her and keep her attention. Also, maybe just letting her look at the pictures and telling her own story based on the picture instead of you reading it. It may be a struggle now, but continue to try to make it part of their routine. This would also be a great way to introduce raising her hand. If she wants to comment have her raise her hand instead of interrupting, or starting a sticker chart to get rewarded for listening to the story. Good luck, it's a tough age (at least it was for us).

 

Story time has always been a part of their bedtime routieg (so for pretty much 3yrs now), so its not new they are used to it. And, I have also tried books with things to push, pull, zip and flip - the problem is that it always ends up in a fight between my two. Even though I make them take turns, they still go out of turn and that causes fights and meltdowns - so I have purposely put away all books that have any aspect of "involvement" because I cant handle the fights.

It is impossible to involve my DD in something else while I read to DS, because she ALWAYS needs to be involved in what I am doing, and if I dont allow that then she cries and whines, which makes reading a book to DS even more difficult.

I think I may start a random sticker chart, for various behaviors, because DD can be a challenge (she loves attention, positive or negative!) but she usually responds to positive reinforcement. Thanks all!