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Original poster

To those moms who read to their babies

62 replies

Beemommy · 24/10/2016 16:57

...how do you manage to do that?? I would love to read to my 10 month old DS but he won't concentrate on one thing for more than 20 seconds. He constantly wants to move around and gets bored with everything very quickly. He wouldn't even play with one toy for more than a minute even if it's new!! Is it normal?

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ImperialBlether · 24/10/2016 17:00

I used to read to mine from when they were very tiny, whether they liked it or not! Are you reading books that are the right age for him? Those with noises and fabrics are good then. Also ones that you can sing to are good - get a big nursery rhyme book and drive yourself mad.

2014newme · 24/10/2016 17:02

Read to him while he has rolls about. He does have to entirely focused on you.

Creatureofthenight · 24/10/2016 17:03

Try a book that you 'play' with, like a touchy feel one.

CruCru · 24/10/2016 17:04

Nope, I never managed to read to my babies. I did sing to them though.

Undersmile · 24/10/2016 17:07

Started when they were a couple of weeks.

SleepFreeZone · 24/10/2016 17:09

It really does depend on the child IME. Eldest DS would not tolerate books until he was 3. He would scream and shout, fling himself about, constantly close the books and tear them. I used to try and just give up, it wasn't worth it. Now he loves being read to and loves the library!

DS2 is completely different. He is 9 month old and loves toys (again DS1 hated them) and really enjoys looking at books and me reading to him.

My advice would be to try but if your DC doesn't want to know, don't force it, it will come in time.

howabout · 24/10/2016 17:11

When I was a new Mum with DD1 we spent a lot of time just the two of us together. One sided conversations only take the day so far. I used to read her the newspaper or whatever else I happened to be reading. I also talked to the radio a lot.

She mostly "read" her own cloth and board books. By the time she had stopped chewing them she was up for lift the flap books and "The very hungry caterpillar" etc with me. She is 15 now and always has her nose in a book.

bloodyteenagers · 24/10/2016 17:11

I used to just read when we were in the same room. Stuff from newspapers. Childrens books. I would sometimes read aloud the book I was reading. they would at some point come and see what was going on, which I would just carry on and point to the words. When they jumped down, I just continued.

ErrolTheDragon · 24/10/2016 17:14

I don't remember actually reading to DD much when she was a baby - sang a lot, and recounted traditional stories like the three little piggies with lots of huffing.

celeryisnotasuperfood · 24/10/2016 17:16

We went through phases so didn't force it at bedtime. Books always seem around on accessible shelves and an option when looking to do something - 'shall we look at a book?'
Now at 3 one story is part of bedtime but she will go and pick books up from her own choice at other times also.

IamWendy · 24/10/2016 17:16

Yeah.... My son rejected books at that age. I sang, lots, and especially in the car to down out his screaming and he just sort of like books all of a sudden when he was about 18 months. Maybe to stop me singing?

minijoeyjojo · 24/10/2016 18:14

To start with I had to distract my DD with toys whilst reading to her. Now she'll help turn the pages and loves lift the flap books especially. Have you tried those? She's just turned one, but I've been reading to her since she was about 5 months I think so she's had time to learn.

BakeOffBiscuits · 24/10/2016 18:48

Like others have said- just read them out loud and he will come and have a look eventually!
Also use hard backed picture books and have them in amongst his toys so he can get them himself and have a look.
When you're reading do lots of funny voices- make the noises of animals etc

TeaBelle · 24/10/2016 18:50

I started reading to dd when she was in the bath - she then developed favourite books which I could use outside and now she loves books all of the time.

FruitCider · 24/10/2016 18:52

I had lots of cardboard/soft/chewy books, and used to read them to them whilst they chewed another book. As soon as they could talk they would throw a book on my lap and say "yes!", this was at about 14 months old. Now at 4 the books are getting increasingly longer at bed time Shock

fakenamefornow · 24/10/2016 18:53

Personally I think at that age it is as important just to talk to them, sometimes a book just gives you something to talk about. Maybe try books that make noises.

Randytortoise · 24/10/2016 18:55

I started when ds1 was about 3 months old. I would feed him, lie him in his cot and read a chapter of Winnie the pooh to him. 9 times out of 10 he would be asleep by the end of the chapter.
When ds 2 came along he would like on the bed and listen to ds1 bedtime story.

TheHubblesWindscreenWipers · 24/10/2016 18:56

Depends on the child. Ds has always loved books - he's been interested in pictures and turning the pages since he was a few month old.
Now he's one and books are his favourite thing. Most get seriously examined, pointed at, flipped through and chewed. We started when he was calm and on books with nice pictures and rhythmic sounds (Julia Donaldson is ace to read aloud.) also books with textures and flaps.
Just play and have fun with them. Silly voices when reading, rhymes, noises, pointing out stuff.

minipie · 25/10/2016 13:13

Depends on the child.

DD1 loved being read to from early on.

DD2 is only just getting keen on it now at 19 months. Before that she'd just grab at the book or wriggle away.

StarryIllusion · 25/10/2016 21:46

Usually at bedtime when they are all sleepy anyway.

CatatonicLadybug · 25/10/2016 22:06

It's still good to read even if the baby/toddler is rolling about rather than sitting still and watching you with concentration. (There seem to be plenty of adults at the theatre who don't sit still or watch with concentration, now that I think about it!)
If the child has no interest in looking at the pictures, choose stories that have a good sound - be it rhyme, rhythm, repetition or great nonsense words etc. Something where the sentences are very simple because the emphasis is on following the pictures just isn't as interesting to that sort of child so might as well ham up the storytelling and make it sound fun. (Be an early adopter of Oi Frog, I reckon.)

And yes to all reading is good reading, I think. In my son's first year, DH had to study for a really tedious exam and DS would be close to silent if DH read the text aloud. It was a very odd thing to watch and hear. Now DS is not quite 3 and his vocabulary includes a few words he could only have heard then. So all reading is good reading provided it is something you don't mind them repeating two years from now.

Spudlet · 25/10/2016 22:08

DS loves the 'That's Not My...' books. He likes the textures and the pages are seriously robust so he can turn them himself. And they're nice and short.

BertieBotts · 25/10/2016 22:14

I didn't read really until he was older, I wanted the experience of sharing a book, not just me droning on while he didn't listen.

He did like the "That's not my..." books when he was about 1yo. I started proper bedtime stories when he was about 2, maybe 3? I can't remember now. Probably closer to 3 as I used to breastfeed him to sleep before then. He loves reading now he is 8, he doesn't seem to have suffered from me not bothering when he was very very tiny.

LaContessaDiPlumpOnSea · 25/10/2016 22:15

DS1 never ever focused on what I read him as a baby. However he did start settling down at around 4yo and is now quite engrossed (5yo) and even reads them himself. So hang on!