I'm struggling to write in my child's reading diary

[thecoperope]

I just can't do it. I have some sort of mental block and it's really stressing me out.

I read with my child, they read alone, we go to the library and have a load of books. Reading is great ,writing is great, comprehension is great, and there are no concerns.

Except the reading diary. I just can't bring myself to take the diary out if the tables a mess, but before I can do the table I have to do the sides and then after the table I have to do the floor and put a wash on.

And if I take the book bag away from the door, it doesn't matter how hard I try I forget either the reading book or the diary, or the bag. I can't find a pen. I just get so stressed when the stupid diary is present. what do I write? Good reading? every time?

We usually read at bed time when we are all in bed. pens aren't allowed in the bedroom and book bags are at the front door. It's natural for us to read at bedtime or in the day when we are relaxing on the sofa. these aren't pen rooms. Reading books and pens don't mix! Just let us read! Why faff about?

Why do I find this easy thing so difficult? I'm retiring the reading diary.

This happens when I have a dentist appointment or Dr's appointment too. I have to deep clean the house.
I have an important meeting in a few days so I have had to rearrange the furniture and book a charity shop drop off ready for a meeting. There's obviously something wrong here, it's the same 'feeling' I get with the reading diary. I don't know why but they are both connected, appointments, reading diaries. I'm out of my mind.

How are you coping in general with life?

I'd find this a red flag if I couldn't so something as simple as this personally.

Your table's a mess but you don't allow pens in the bedroom...

I’m with you OP. I absolutely hate it. We’re constantly getting stickers saying something along the lines of “please read with your child, they need at least 3 entries in their reading record per week” which is frustrating because we do read with them, but never get round to recording it. Just another stupid thing to worry about when life is already overly busy and stressful.

not well apparently. Everything is a bigger job than it needs to be but it doesn't feel done if I don't do it right.
The problem is I make things take long so I'm always going

I hate it. How old is your DC? My son learnt to forge my signature early on so I never signed his (he could read before he ever started school so I never really sat and listened to him drone through Biff and Chip. We did read together all the time though!) and now my daughter fills hers in herself. I fail to see the point of them if your child can read.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. They have also sent home a times tables diary and a homework diary and a communication diary (to stop parents holding the teacher up every morning)
there's too many diaries!

You write
Book name, author, read pages 7-11, date. Mention any problems if they are finding it difficult, or if they really enjoyed it.
Add comics or magazines etc if they read those too.

Its just a basic record.

I think you may need to see a doctor. I'd be worried about OCD behaviour.

In terms if what to write, after 4 children I have come to learn to just write "Read" on every day. I often go weeks without filling in the reading diary, then fill all the pages out in one go with "read" and my initials, over and over again.

Could you set an alarm on the weekend as a reminder to fill in the reading diary for the previous week?

When DD first started school I used to try and remember to write in it every morning. Now I do it once a week and write it all in one go (the info may or may not be entirely accurate )

@MBM18 would you believe that I actually tried this and ended up turning my phone off and hiding it in the washing basket for 2 days?

I bloody hate the thing that much!

I'm glad you lot hate it too, in the words of Michael Jackson, 'you are not alone'

I don't really get what's difficult, but I never used to have a school reading book as a bedtime story. Sat down with record book when they were reading school book and recorded.

Could you put a pencil in the book bag, and write in the reading diary every time you get the book out of the bag?
Just write 'book title - read - date'. It doesn't matter if you write the entry before you actually read.

✔️TCR. (<your initials)
^^ Job done

I literally just used to put ‘pg 5-7’ and signed.

I just write “we read to them and they read to us every day” across an entire week. It must be obvious to teachers which kids read. I hate this stupid chore

I used to leave mine in the car and write in it before school

I'm actually thinking this sounds like something you should speak to a doctor about as well OP.

It's this post specifically. The fact it's happening with multiple things.

Do the reading diary or don't, your child isn't going to not learn how to read because you didn't fill in the diary.

But this sounds distressing and stressful for you, and there might be something that can help.

I don’t mean to offend but I find this quite extraordinary!
Put a pencil in the book bag and next to the bed also and record with that??
Just write ‘dc read to me’. That’s it, all that matters really,
Or get some of these and get Dc to stick it in themselves?
https://www.superstickers.com/product/sticker-i-read-well-today-ms11432/

I always got my children to fill it out for extra writing practice and I just sign it. My daughter loves to give herself glowing feedback

i did have one teacher who agreed it was obvious my son read voraciously and therefore we didn't need to do the reading diary . That was year.5/6 I think.

By DC2, if the reading book got handed in /checked on a Wednesday, on Thursday I'd write in an entry for several days the next week (ie in advance if the actual reading) - something v simple as various other posters have suggested. Then I just had to remember to write in the damn thing once a week. DC did loads and loads of reading with and without us, so the diary was just a box ticking thing and I didn't feel bad if it wasn't entirely accurate.

Also, how old is dc. Can they write it themselves and you initial it?
Older sibling?

However, I agree it sounds like you have something bigger going on and it would be a good idea to go and chat to a doctor

I wonder if you’re attributing something to the book beyond needing to just write in it. Is it a reminder of something you feel guilty about?

Your behaviour doesn't sound healthy at all and I think you need to speak to a GP, it's not normal and sounds like you need help

I agree with @RudsyFarmer that sometimes when we find things hard it’s because they are connecting us to an earlier strong emotion.

You don’t have to answer here but did you find school very stressful yourself? Or did you grow up in a house where this sort of chore was very stressful? Is there an underlying feeling of shame or guilt?

If that’s not the case the other option to consider would be whether this is a symptom of something else. Do you suffer from anxiety? Or OCD?

Anyway, on a practical level I would teach dc to complete the diary (maybe getting some stars or stickers for them) and let them crack on without involvement from you.