Is 13 months really 'late on the learning curve' for not sitting through story time?

[Linguaphile]

We just went to a play group this morning, and my very active 13 month old twins were more interested in greeting the other children than in sitting still. At the end of the session, one of the helpers explained to me that they need to be sitting quietly with me so that they don't distract the other children (it's a 0-4 playgroup) . I asked her if they were really meant to be able to sit through 30 minutes of stories at that age, and she implied that my children might just be later on the learning curve and asked if they sit through bedtime stories either... which they don't (it's more of a calisthenic story time).

A I being really dense for not realising that they were meant to be able to do this by their age? And how on earth do I train them to do it? It's nearly impossible with two as I can't just go chase after one without then losing the other and spending most of the hour playing whack-a-mole. :(

What a rude woman! (who is clearly insane)
Joking aside, at our playgroup we do 10 mins of songs at the end which I have to cling on to DS (2) with a vice like grip so he joins in. Left to his own devices he would dip in and out of joining in while exploring the rest of the room.
Our helper trys to get round all the mums during the session to see how we are and generally offer support/an ear/ or advice if requested. She always helps out with the twins/siblings. I would question whether she is at the right group.

That's ridiculous

Dd 18 months loves stories but even she can only manage 10 mins

What a load of bollocks. That's so tiny, you can expect them to have an attention span then.

i took my 15 or so month old or to a music group, she had only just learnt to walk and she was in trouble because she kept standing up. I didnt go again.

D'oh I would question if your leader is at the right group - mine is fantastic

Maybe she needs to read this. The attention span of a child is ideally their age + 1, so for a 5 year old its 6 minutes.

So 30 minutes is far too long for any children there, even if they sit still they are not attending.

Hahaha ... 13mth old babies sitting still, at story time for half an hour ..... hahahaha!!

My 6yr barely does...

I'd be taking my ds out of that playgroup pretty quick. I teach year 3 and I wouldn't expect them to sit still on the carpet for 30 mins. DS only managed about 2 mins listening to a story unless it's "that's not my monster" etc where he can touch the fluffy bits!!!

Along with another thread tonight about the inappropriateness of a non sitting toddler at a toddler group it really makes you realise there are some parents out there that really make you feel crap about your own parenting!
At 13 months your twins are totally normal to not want to sit for 30mins. Please don't worry.

If you do go again look around the room. I bet there is hardly one sat still after ten minutes.

We used to go to a group when my son was a toddler. He refused to join in song time so he could go and play with the toys without having to share them while the others sang songs.

If I do a story time, I fully expect the little ones to wander around, pop over to look at the book occasionally and maybe try to steal it, or tear a page out. I only expect them to sit still if it's a very short story I am reading to them 1:1 while we have a cuddle.

In the groups I went to with DS around that age, the longest story session would be about 5 mins, and even then a good few kids would have wandered off to investigate toys/other kids before the end. Can't imagine any of the staff at our local children's centres coming out with some of the stuff people have said above.

I'm a teacher and only expect children to sit passively without doing for a minute for every year of their lives. So 5 year old 5 minutes. After this time they need to do something eg talk with a partner. No way would I expect my toddler to sit still for 30 minutes!

Good god no. My one year old can't sit for 5 mins!!! xx

My ds would sit for a few stories in a row until he could walk it made me feel like super mum educating him so well.
Then he was far too busy to sit still from 1 until nearly 2yrs old.
I've been on a few toddler group threads tonight it makes me think they do more damage than good that people come away doubting their parenting afterwards. I think if you come from something that's supposed to be fun and social with negative feelings its not really worth it.

Leaving aside the ridiculous notion of a half hour story time for pre schoolers which has been well covered by previous posters; can I just congratulate you on your wonderfully sociable twins who are busy greeting other children. Mine were only relating to other children at that age as objects to wrestle desired toys from.

Can my son join you twins? They sound like ideal playmates (in destruction) for him! Seriously, DS likes books, but a minute is all I get. Unless it involves Boris the furry kissing monster. 30 mins - no way! You need to find a better group.

ahahahahaha at expecting 13 months olds sitting still for 30 mins!

what an idiot!

and through "story time"? wtf is she reading, War and Peace?!

I have 7 kids, eldest is 13 years old.
I know a little bit about kids' attention spans so at this point I can only reiterate my initial reaction, which is: ahahahahaha!

My 11 month old sits on my knee at bedtime for her stories...for approx 2 minutes!! She enjoys them for that time but any longer and she would be riggling to get off my knee.

So, no, your 13 month old twins should not be able to sit quietly for a story. And actually it's a little worrying that someone with such a rubbish knowledge of child development is giving you advice and running this group!

DD is finally sitting still through story time at 3.8...

It really pisses me off when some people (clearly non-parents) say utterly insane things like this... Unrelated, but... a friend of mine who took her LO to A&E with a very minor burn after tipping a cup of hot tea on his arm, was told by a young female nurse "Oh well, when I have kids I'm just not going to have hot drinks at all!" Hahahahaha! Just shut up and fuck off.

I don't make my two year old sit still. He's got his life to do that. He often chooses to sit. We often choose to leave playgroups early

I'd lay money on this woman expecting all the children to keep their gaze fixed on her, as that the only way the cash be listening to her!

I don't know what book she's got her information from but she sounds barking.

Qualified Nursery Nurse here. 20 years experience and even if I do say so myself, great story teller.

30 minutes with 4 year olds is just about possible with the right books, but I would prefer to keep it to 15 minutes tops. With 2 year olds 5 minutes, maybe 10 on a good day but you'll find that some children just won't be into it no matter how many diggers the book features.
With a one year old? Life is about sensing things and doing stuff. They can't be arsed with all that sitting and looking crap. There are things that need putting in other things, things have to be stacked, things have to be knocked down, toys need tasting, sleeves need sucking until delicious and juicy, DVD slots need filling!
There is no need for a book session for under 2s. They would be better off having 1-1 looks at books with an adult, and left to get on with them themselves with lots of reminders not to eat them.

30 mins of story time at a play group??? Amazing!

Your post did make me laugh out loud though. I've recently started working as a TA and half of the Y3/4 group struggle to sit through the daily 15 min reading of Roald Dahl.