Reading to young children

[Eileen101]

A bit of an AIBU but I'm pretty sure I'm not, but second guessing myself.

I've been told I should be reading books that my child can learn from... I guess from that easy factual books would be the ideal (I don't actually know as I didn't question it, just studiously ignored it).
I tend to read whatever my child wants me to read to them. That does invariably mean lots of Julia donaldson, Thomas the tank engine, Mr men, the farmyard tales series, brambly hedge, postman pat, literally whatever they pick from our extensive collection of (non factual) books or the library.
I was allowed to read whatever I wanted and given plenty of library access and left to it.

Am I taking the wrong approach here? Obviously I want my child to be knowledgeable, but at this point, I'd rather instill a love of reading for readings sake
Should I be encouraging "educational" reading material instead of enjoyable fiction?
They have been given lots of lift the flap usborne style books, but are generally uninterested

Normally I wouldn't second guess myself like this, but this has come from a teacher.

Thanks

The advice is wrong imo.
Repeatedly reading the same backs is frustrating for parents but they provide new words which might be used in real life as well as skills like rhyming words and being good memory practice. Something familiar is also soothing before going to bed.

Oh read whatever you and your child fancies!

All books are brilliant! Reading fiction to your child is such a lovely experience for you both, but having non fiction in the house is great too. Mine always loved the Lift the Flap type books and found they were good for them to read by themselves as they were more interactive. Happiness is always more books!

I’d carry on as you are. I’d agree that encouraging a love of reading is the most important thing when they’re small.

Plus, even if it’s enjoyable fiction, children can still learn from it.

We had all kind of books at home. Books about farms = animals, other books about animals like a basic encyclopedia, books about castles and knights as we liked to go to stately homes and castles. Books about trains as DD loved them. We had "Where's Wally" type of books, which featured everyday life.

They are obviously a bit more difficult to read to a child compared to a story but it's also about interacting.

Oh, we also had Grimm's fairy tales, the non-Disney version.

But they ARE learning. They are learning to love books. Mr Men also has a quite wide vocabulary (extraordinarily long arms!), and a wide vocabulary is a fairly good prediction for future academic success.

DD (5) loves princesses, the books are usually total trash, but if I can get her to do some of her phonics while we're at it it's still a win.

I agree with @Sirzy.

I feel sure that loving reading has been key to DD's academic success....... and she never ever reads non fiction.

She got 4xA* in her A Levels (at an ordinary comp) and is now at a top uni studying for a masters in a STEM subject.

Read whatever they want to listen to.

Children learn a vast amount from listening to fiction read. It isn't solely about a love of reading but about composing a narrative, creating suspense, description, creating characters etc. They learn to empathise and "put themselves in other people's shoes". No matter how silly or unrealistic the story, if its well written they learn something. Well written, slightly but not too challenging literature expands children's (and adults) vocabulary. Familiar literature comforts. Rhythmic literature conveys understanding of the music of language. Prose improves instinctive understanding of grammar. Even children who will never learn to read due to severe special needs benefit enormously from being read stories.

The teacher you talked to has a worryingly narrow and limited comprehension of what learning is.

That's so strange as the books you've mentioned are full of things related to the curriculum!

I would ignore it!

Children learn loads from any type of book, not just non-fiction. What an odd comment. Maybe they just meant to increase the variety of books you read to them, but I would still recommend going with their interests rather than just picking a non-fiction book for the sake of it.

Children learn new vocabulary through stories, they learn about different animals and where they live, the learn names of dinosaurs and about different seasons and types of weather, they learn about different emotions etc. They learn basic grammar and about concepts such as rhyme. All early reading experiences are beneficial to children. The fact you're reading to them at all is great as sadly so many don't.

That's rotten advice!

Much more important to engender a love of reading by reading something they enjoy. Mine loved the Julia Donaldson's, they are lovely to listen to and quite educational too. When they were four we read some education books about dinosaurs etc but only because they were interested in the topic. Let your child loose in a charity shop to choose whatever books catch their eye, it's a lovely way to engage them.

Basically if you are reading with your child you are doing a brilliant job, it doesn't really matter what you are reading if they are enjoying it!

In addition to the great comments you've had above, I'll add this - reading is a wonderful way to bond with children so no matter what you're reading, the power of one of their most favourite people in the whole world, cuddled up and reading favourite texts to them cannot be underestimated. It's a wee bubble of safety and love, no matter what's going on in the outside world and no matter what kind of day they've had. I'm a primary teacher and when I read aloud I can tell which children are read to regularly - they become calm and relaxed, almost as if they're in a trance. Reading to the children is one of the best parts of the job.

Keep reading whatever your child wants, and do it for as many years as they will let you - it's invaluable.