17 mo no longer enjoys being read to - is this normal?

[Jessicatmagnificat]

I read a lot about the importance of reading and talking to your baby when I was pregnant with DD, now 17 months old, and from the time she was born, we spent a lot of time looking at books, singing, chatting etc. This used to be her favourite activity to the extent that I would often spend 30 mins + in a reading session to keep her from crying! She's recently become a really good walker, but this seems to have coincided with her losing interest in books and not being able to sit still with me for any activity for longer than a minute or so.

I not only miss this special time that we had snuggled up together, but I worry that having such a short concentration span could lead to problems in the future. I know all toddlers have this to some extent, but when I read on here about people doing baking or painting etc with their toddlers, I end up thinking that by the time I get all the stuff out, she would have wandered off bored.
And I keep hearing that if you don't read to your children regularly, their language development could suffer.

So does anyone have any tips about how I can encourage DD's concentration span, or is this just a phase? I already restrict TV viewing quite strictly, though I do allow a bit of CBeebies each day to preserve my sanity. Should I be concerned about her attention span? (She is a PFB I must admit!) I have temporarily given up reading books with her, as she doesn't seem to enjoy it, but if anyone has any tips for getting a toddler back into reading, that would be great to. TIA

[gagarin]

She's just learnt a new skill and needs/wants every minute to practice.

Sitting down is boring at the moment.

She'll come back to reading when she's got over the excitement of being able to whizz about on her own two feet!

Try to be delighted and proud of what she is doing rather than worry about what you think she should be doing

[AMumInScotland]

Reading to them is good, but generally talking to them keeps their language skills up too, so as long as you still communicate with her, not reading to her won't cause any problems. I agree with gagarin - she's so interested in being up and walking that everything else is dull in comparison. Same with the baking, painting etc - the "toddlers" who are doing those things are probably a fair bit older and have got over the initial excitement of walking.

She'll settle again in a bit, and then you can gradually start up things like that with her - but they all have a very short attention span for a long time yet (look at all the "My 5 year old won't concentrate at school" threads for reassurance), so it's a very gradual progress till they can concentrate for any length of time.

[mrsgboring]

I find DS goes through these phases every 9 months or so. I imagine (with no basis for it being true) that it's because he's full up with words/knowledge whatever for the time being.

I LOATHE these phases as he climbs the walls and I'm sitting on the floor yelling out the words of The Hungry Caterpillar, vaguely in his direction. It settles down again though. Far too early to be worrying about attention spans and concentrating at school. That way madness lies...

[margoandjerry]

I think it sounds very normal. My DD (18mo) loves being read to more than anything but recently is just as interested in running around.

As for baking, painting, sounds like an impossibility at that age!

As for the advice about language development suffering if you dont' read to them, as with all this advice, it's aimed at those who don't read at all. It's why you get free books from your HV - they're trying to get to the families where no one reads. I feel embarrassed getting the free books as we already have hundreds and almost spend too much time reading.

[christywhisty]

My DD 10 never let me read to her. She was always far more interested in what big brother was doing. But she virtually taught herself to read and now always has her nose in a book.
My HV asked me at her 12 mos check whether I read to her and I had to laugh because she never sat still long enough for me to read to her. She has never had very good concentrations skill at home, but school is not a problem

[snickersnack]

Definitely a phase. dd was exactly the same - wouldn't sit still for more than 2 mins at this age and refused stories point blank but now (at 3) stories are her favourite things, and she's currently on story number 10 with Granny (who I think is starting to flag...). Most things are a phase, I reckon...

I would never have attempted painting at that age. I reckon being out, looking at stuff, chatting and playing is just as good. Plenty of time for arts and crafts later.