Does your dc see you sitting down and reading a book?

[Bouviergirl]

Does your dc ever see you sitting down in a comfortable armchair reading a book (and for longer than 10 seconds)?

I want to bring dc up in a household where reading is valued and important, to help him develop a love of reading himself. So we read books, especially before bedtime, and we sing songs and rhymes, and we look at alphabet letters and point them out in the street, and so on...But, I'm very conscious that he never actually sees me or dh sitting down for any length of time and clearly enjoying a good book ourselves, although doing so would probably do more to help instill a love of reading in him than any other activity.

Mainly we can't because we're too busy and knackered looking after said dcs! I can't sit down for any length of time to do anything because eldest dc is 3 and never stops, and youngest is 6m.

I'm after any tips/thoughts/advice please. If you manage it with a 3yo or thereabouts, how do you do it in practical terms?

Thanks.

I've recently been able to find a bit more daylight time for reading, as DS is nearly 3 and starting to play his own involved games for longer stretches of time. He is fascinated by our books, will frequently take one down off the shelf and 'read' it with a very serious air of importance He has also started reading his own books to himself, which I find really interested and lovely to listen to - clearly all those endless repetitions at bedtime have left their mark, as he will recreate our emphases and sound effects.

He also sees DH and I reading in bed in the mornings.

Both my parents are/were bookworms; I don't recall specific instances of seeing them read, but they were never without a book, often to be found talking to us or each other about books they'd read, and our house was full of books that were all open to us as we liked. I have vivid memories of browsing through the big leather-bound Encyclopaedia Britannicas that my dad splashed out on in the 70s, and of following my mum round the adult part of the local library taking books down for a look while she chose. Result: I am a total bookworm, my brother was slightly less so but still read a lot.

'which I find really interesting'

I never saw my parents read, nor my childminder and yet I learned to read (taught by the childminder!) by the age of 4 (Peter and Jane books). I then became a voracious reader but still never saw my parents reading anything more than the paper. My parents were (are) highly educated people with a couple of degrees each but they bought me books all the time and encouraged my reading; they also read to me when I was younger all the time.

So don't worry. Even if your DC don't (yet) give you the time to read for long periods whilst they're awake, you can still encourage them to be readers.

FWIW, DH and I are voracious readers. DD (3) is very good at playing for long periods and pottering by herself and so we do get the chance to read whilst she's awake. But even if she didn't see us reading I'd not worry. We have read to her since she was a newborn though!

Seeker has it. I have two boys, have read to them since they were newborns really. I love reading and have always been a bookworm.
I read avidly and always have done, when I have time and when I can, it does go in peaks and troughs. DH really doesn't do reading. I make sure he has them read to him just as much as they to do me. To think that they will grow up and not know what it is to lose yourself in a book is sad for me.
They have loads of books at home, DH takes them to the library once a week, he knows and acknowledges my fears. DS1 is very like him in that he is very maths biased rather than english/reading.
Mind you, my DB only started to read prolifically in his late 20s, so it is not a lost cause!

Oh and my Mom always read, I used to find her curled up reading metaphysical poetry and Shakespeare. She used to read John Donne aloud to me.
My Dad? Never. Perhaps an autobiography of a footballer or two. He is, on paper, the most intelligent as well.

I always read-even when dc were small-it was such a huge part of 'me' still is.How?By saying 'You play quietly for a while Mummy is reading .'I'd only get a few minutes[up to 20] but I read quickly and always had a book to hand.My dc had their own shelf at the bottom of our bookcase,we put their books where they were accessible and encouraged them to look at a book wheile we read.We read to them every day from being babies.By 2.8 dd read fluently[simple books] ds was 3.5.Both are still avid readers and their children love books too.

Next time you pop out buy yourself a magazine, tell your lo its quite time and give your oldest one a book to read. You sit and read your magazine just afew pages and he will learn to read along.

My lo is 2 1/2 and he loves going to his bookcase in the living room. He selects a book, sits at his table and stares at all the pictures. Takes the book back, plonks it on the bookshelf and gets another book.

Do you live near the library? They run a free group once a week called read and rhyme. They read books out loud to the children and they learn to sit and listen.

Another good way is to buy a childrens magazine and sit and read it together. They have mini tasks to do, colouring, counting, putting sticks on, looking for things. Great for interaction and also great to cut up pictures and put them into a scrap book. When my lo is bored of his toys he likes to look at his scrapbooks.