To not expect my almost 6 year old DD to read over summer hols

[Whisperingwinds]

So DD is almost 6 - Sept child and will be moving into year 1. she finfished reception in tne top reading group and her teacher recommended that we ensure she reads atleast a bit everyday so she doesn't forget everything when school restarts.

DH and I both work full time so she is summer camps most week days from 9 to 6 - by the time she is home, she is shattered and just wants to watch TV and sleep. She is in bed by 7:30.

It has been a complete struggle getting her to read and has on,y lead to frustration. So AIBU to just let it go over summer and just let her be? We are off on hols for two weeks in a weeks time and am thinking of taking books and trying then when we are all relaxed and don't have any time constraints like we would on a working day. I want her to love reading and am worried me making a chore might push her the other way.

Get her doing the Summer Reading Challenge at your local library. Kids are asked to read 6 books over the summer, get a sticker for each one and a medal once they've read 6 (and it's free)

Do the reading challenge from your library, that will incentive both of you.

Definitely don't feel you have to try to do a 'whole book' at a time. A little and often will keep the skills going.

xpost with strawberry

My son will be 6 in September and going into Year 1 in September. He is an advanced reader too and I think it's really important to keep reading to/with him. He always has at least two stories every night (even on holiday) - we read to him and more and more he reads to us. I took him to the library and he has chosen a big pile of books, so maybe you could do that. Your DC may prefer to read books they have chosen themselves. We've just signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge too, which my DS is excited about. If he's very tired I suggest he reads one page and I read the next, which he likes. I would definitely encourage you to try to keep up the reading - particularly if the teacher recommended it.

My dd is the run around not sit still type. I wish my dd would read more. I buy her books and she gets so enthusiastic about them and they languish on the bookshelf. She still likes being read to, which I do regularly. She's 9. YADNBU about your dd.

Why are you even worried about it? She's 6! She can read, she'll be reading at school and when she's a teenager/adult.
I do still read my two 10 and 6, both developed quite naturally into reading independently with little input from me. Now that enjoy reading alone, at bedtime, but also being read to.

What I'm trying to say, albeit in a roundabout way is, YANBU

my daughter is 6 and a free reader. she reads every day, wherever we can. so sometimes in the car, when I'm cooking or at bedtime. its hard to find time as we have 2 disabled children too but I know from previous experience with older children that if they don't read for 6 weeks then it does hit hard when they go back in sep. for instance, we read all last summer and when my daughter was tested when she went in to her new class she went up two or three levels. just think little and often rather than huge chunks x

I certainly think you're going to make her see reading as a chore and something you have to do rather than want to do. Just read stories together and lay off a bit. She is five.

I'm a teacher and I think reading to her is more important- if she learns to love reading she will read independently as she gets older.

We bought a clip-on bunk light - mine go to bed half an hour EARLIER so they can read now - seem to think it is the height of sophistication having their own reading lights! Simple things sometimes!

What deadsouls said. She's not even 6!

@misty9 that's the weird bit - she absolutely loved reading and was in the orange band end of reception. Which is what makes me wonder if she just needs a break

Summer reading challenge is a good idea - we will visit the library on Monday - she loves stickers and medals

I ordered a bunch of books off of bookpeople and I have been reading them to her. Both DH and I read all the time so it's definitely a familiar sight for her. My emphasis so far has been in reading whole books but I guess I just need to go with little and often. She happily weds signs, menus etc when we go out.

have you got any games that involve reading? DD refused point blank to read books in the school holidays when she was small but reading post cards in her pretend post office, clues in board games etc was enough that she didn't forget how to read.

mummyoflittledragon DD is also the run around type and oiled rather go swimming , park or just out, we don't have family close by so I guess am also carrying the guilt that she doesn't have the relaxed holidays that I used to as a child.

Their summer holidays are 10 weeks so there is no way we can get all of it off.

BeyondThePage ooh clip on light sounds like something she might go for.

I think it is important that they read regularly over the summer holiday, but understand you not wanting to think reading is a "chore".
Would she be more enthusiastic about reading a comic?
Joke books might also do the trick, or poetry.
Maybe non fiction if there is something she is particularly interested in.

Wouldn't rather go swimming not oiled.

And finished not finished ! Hopefully DD learns to type better than me 😶

You said it yourself - her teacher wants her to read every day so she doesn't forget everything she's learned over the year! So YABU to not read with/to her every day.

Reading everyday doesn't need to mean sitting with a book everyday. Words are every where. When you're walking you can read and itentify car badges, shop signs, road names. At home reading the cereal box/ toothpaste tube/ choosing the right can for the cook out the cupboard by sounding out if necessary. Its just thinking about words and letters and how they all fit together.

Stick the subtitles on her tv so she's at least getting some practice and read to her at night aswell. Maybe aim for her to read on the weekends.

As reading is so important, I would make time to listen to her read every single day. If you build this into her bedtime routine, along with her bedtime story, it will set good habits of a lifetime. It doesn't have to be pages and pages, just a page or two is far better than nothing.

You should try and get her to read a little something every day. Even if it's recipes, directions for days out etc. Mine can be a bit half arsed about books but I manage to sneak some reading in.

DD is a year on, now 6, but last summer I printed out the words from various disney songs because it drove me up the wall she would sing the same lines on repeat as she didn't know many. She was delighted, read and has moved on from one line singing!

I thought I'd give dd the summer off, and she forgot everything. She did catch up quickly in September though.
Could she just read one page?