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.

My dd is one month older than yours but at the end of year 1 rather than reception. It was a massive struggle to get her reading because her concentration span wasn't up to it but we did things like treasure hunts and word games and other "stealth reading" practice as well as painful Biff and Kipper practice. Now she will read "chapter books" as she calls them for pleasure and is desperate to do the library reading challenge - she stays awake far too late reading them. But I still don't know whether it was perseverance or just letting her grow up a bit that got her over the hump. I'd keep it relaxed if possible though.

It only needs to be a little bit not a full book, maybe get her to read signs and words you see out the window while on the bus?

I don't know about everyday but the whole holiday is too long to leave it. Kids can lose a lot of progress over summer.

Something that has really helped with my daughter was doing alternative sentences/paragraphs/pages when she was a bit knacked.
Defo keep it up if you can it will be worth it

Dd2 is a bit younger than yours, also about to go into Y1 but a spring baby.

She is reading signs and words that she sees around and the other day read a Dr Seuss book. If I tried to make her read she would definitely rebel. Dd1 who's 7 started reading properly around the first term of Y2. Most of her friends started reading books some time between start of Y1 and end of Y2, there's a pretty large gap. I think they all just get off at their own pace & forcing them does no good.

I'm a teacher and we ask our school to read something, write something and count something everyday. By this we mean help to write the shopping list, then read it around the shops and count the items into the basket. Not formal learning! They are on holiday and should be learning through play. Doesn't matter what she reads as long as she's practises the skills. X

smilingthru that's a relief! We do lots of ad hoc reading but not the book a day she was used to during term time. That said, we started role playing Rumpelstilskin and she suddenly read the whole book without prompting! So maybe it's just her rebelling against Biff and Kipper

My son is slightly younger than yours too but also entering year 1 this sept. He has been reading a lot this holiday out of choice, also all the menus, signs in shops etc. He isn't in a camp style programme but spends his time with me or the nanny whilst I'm at work. He loved choosing books from the library. Do you have time to take her at the weekend?

Does she do any informal reading whilst in the summer camp? Not necessarily supervised reading but maybe reading timetables or board games rules, that sort of thing?

Ugh Biff and Kipper! Don't blame your DD for rebelling I'd let her choose her own reading more too.

Read all the time, as much as you can. DS18 and doing English A level is still not reading for himself, despite years of story reading in every medium. It takes a lot, A LOT, longer to instil the habit unless they get the bug themselves. Then, they fly.

My dd is 6. She reads everyday of the summer hols but I'm a sahm so it's easy to fit it in.

On nights where she's tired or its later than usual, we read a book together. She reads the first and last page and I read the middle.

I am in exactly the same position and we read first thing in the morning and at weekends.
Agree it is hard work, am just worried she will forget stuff though!

Teacher here. I would say just trust your gut! You round like a lovely parent.

I will be in Year 2 this year. I sent a letter to parents encouraging them to read with their children over the break, but the "with" is vital. Just read them a great story! If they are still at phase 4 or under, sure please do read and blend with them, phase 4 or above then read and practice inference. But truly, just keep it fun and if they're knackered and doing other stuff, don't bother!

I ease off my own children over the break. They do read, but only want that want to. Usually Tom Gates and graphic novels with my two. I just let them relax. School is very intense and they need it!

My dd is in same situation and I am not asking her to do any formal reading, she does read everyday though - signs in supermarkets, farm parks, to her baby brother etc. I really wouldn't worry about her ' falling behind', they're 5!

My ds wouldn't have read independently at that age. He wouldn't have been interested in a bedtime story either! He liked looking at non fiction books and the most I could get from him is when he said "look a X" I could ask him where it said X!

Some people just do t enjoy reading - forcing it can lead you to drive them to dislike it even more.

Buff and Kipper don't really ignight the imagination really! can she go to a bookshop or library and pick some books that appeal. Even those magazines in supermarkets may just be enough to keep her going over the summer. Id drop the offical books and start finding other non standard reading formats which are more fun.

Aren't you taking any time off over the summer?

My dd is a similarage and me and dh both work (me 4 days, DH full time). She asks to read at bedtime!

We slacked off with ds (who's nearly 8) over the holidays and I regretted it as he went backwards.

I was going to suggest that maybe the books she has are a bit boring. Then I saw your remark about Biff and Kipper.

Look for more exciting or appealing books, and buy a little clip on reading light as suggested upthread. Fairy tales appeal to children of her age.

You can also play games where she gets to write - shopping lists, menus in a restaurant she sets up, rules for her pretend classroom in which she is the teacher - and maybe she could keep a little summer journal too.

You need to be a bit careful about clip on lights as if they fall off and get covered with bedding they can overheat and be ac fire risk.

DD6 is doing the Summer Reading Challenge. She's a fairly capable reader but we go with the 'I read a page you read a page' method over sumner to keep her up to speed.

The idea a five year old should have to read every day of the summer holidays is ludicrous.

Why not read up on all the countries where they don't even start reading until 6 and end up at least as well educated as UK kids, if not more?

If you really want to positively impact her could one of you work a bit less so she had more time at home? It sounds very full on for a five year old. I know this may not be possible but this is what struck me about your post.

Sorry OP that sounded a but judgey and I down't mean it. I just feel bring at a holiday club Ll day and then coming home and doing homework with you sounds very hard. If she chooses to read great, or rather OK, but I think a fun game of imagination rather than reading somebody else's's ideas sounds better, IMHO.

And on holiday, menus, treasure hunt etc sounds excellent.

With those long days I wouldn't worry during the week, read to her if she prefers that, maybe ask her to read the title of the odd sentence if you think she'd like to. If you get her to do a bit of reading when there's time at weekends she won't fall back.

At level 6 she's likely very close to the point where they can read all their picture books and reading for fun really takes off. Then the difficulty is getting them to put their book down and go to sleep...

Buy her some magazines that actually have some content. DS(10) has ASD with PDA traits and won't do a task if it's expected of him (he is disgusted by his summer reading list from school), but he likes comics and magazines. Every time he asks for one I make a bit of a fuss about the expense and then do a "Oh go on then!" even though I don't mind buying reading material - ever! Result is he thinks I'm awesome and he reads something.

It's sneaky, but he's not cottoned on yet (and I've been doing this for about 4 years now - since he could read properly), even though I've always made it clear I'll never refuse to buy him books. He is opting to read actual age appropriate chapter books now, so I think he's starting to enjoy it because I've always been very 'No pressure' about it.