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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

baby not interested in reading

61 replies

bobsi · 13/04/2009 17:44

I've got a 3.5 yr old dd and an 11 month old ds. We read books to my daughter from day one and it progressed nicely until she started pointing things out and joining in. I'm anxious to do the same with my ds but he just won't sit still and just wants to eat, bash and look at anything but the book and it's not the nice cuddly experience I want it to be. Because of this I find I hardly read to him which I feel sooooo guilty about.
Has anyone got similar experiences or any tips to make this more enjoyable for us?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

brimfull · 13/04/2009 17:46

are you serious???

apostrophe · 13/04/2009 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Threadworm · 13/04/2009 17:46

Just drop it until he starts to look interested again. You can get more or less the same benefits from sitting down together doing another activity and talking about it.

Niftyblue · 13/04/2009 17:46

Hes a 11 month old baby

MuffinBaker · 13/04/2009 17:47

You are expecting too much.

He isn't your daughter.

janeite · 13/04/2009 17:48

Awww. Maybe try some of those board books with different textures and let him eat and bash them for a while. You sound lovely and I'm sure he'll soon appreicate books as something more than just chewable!

janeite · 13/04/2009 17:48

appreciate -

I must type more slowly!

apostrophe · 13/04/2009 17:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

jabberwocky · 13/04/2009 17:53

We had a similar situation with ds2. Ds1 was always interested in books. It was such a pleasure to sit with him and read. Ds2, totally not interested. I did the same as janeite and got books with different textures, little flaps to lift, etc. and that perked his interest. He is now 2.5 and is much more into reading.

Also, little boys tend to look at anything with big trucks, dirt movers and/or motorcycles!

Original poster

bobsi · 13/04/2009 17:59

Yes I am serious ggirl and can't understand why you think I wouldn't be. I know he's a baby and chewing and bashing the books is normal but I'd just like to try and find a way of getting him to look at the pages and stay sitting on my knee for just 30 seconds!
I don't think I'm expecting too much and am not comparing him to my daughter, I just wondered if anyone had any tips that could make it more enjoyable for me. I didn't expect ridicule - but thats Mumsnet for you isn't it?

OP posts:

Original poster

bobsi · 13/04/2009 18:00

Thank you by the way for all of you with helpful comments.

OP posts:

Jeffa · 13/04/2009 18:02

Can you read them before bedtime/during bathtime? At a time when he is more relaxed?

MIAeatingeggs · 13/04/2009 18:03

I think it is lovely that you are trying to ask for advice of how to make reading to your son more enjoyable after having had a good experience with your daughter.
I think some of the more replies have misjudged your post as trying to get your baby to read, rather than an enjoyment of books.

What you may find is that he is not ready for books yet and you will have to go at his pace, My DS loved books from being very little and would happily be read to from a very young age, but not all children are like this.

As janeite said, try some texture books. There are some amazing ones out there for your Ds age. Also My Ds at that age (he is 2 now) liked books with realistic photos as well as stories. Just let your DS take the lead and perhaps stick to a story at bedtime when he is tired and more likely to enjoy a snuggle until he is ready for more.
HTH

georgimama · 13/04/2009 18:04

But he's only 11 months old. If he doesn't want to do this activity there is no good reason why you should need to try and find a way to get him to look at the pages and stay still for more than 30 seconds. If he was four I'd agree you have a problem.

SuziSeis · 13/04/2009 18:06

why do you want him to?

Babies should eat mud

MIAeatingeggs · 13/04/2009 18:06

Also, abit silly but my DS likes a puppet to read him a story sometimes, also the books where you can move a character around (sometimes you can use a photograph of themselves) Can you tell I love reading to DS?

littlelamb · 13/04/2009 18:07

There is no way my 10 mo would sit still to look at a book. I can't even change his nappy without a chase around the living room But my dd is 4 and very bookish so it will come. My dd (and now ds, when he's not chewing thm to death) liked the 'Amazing Baby' black and whit eboard books with pictures of real babies in them. I saw lots of them in Poundland the other day so might be worth a try?

Smithagain · 13/04/2009 18:07

If it's a case of feeling guilty - don't. Not all babies love books. DD1 wouldn't sit still for a book at that age. As a toddler, however, she developed an insatiable love of books, which has lasted ever since.

However, if it's a case of just wanting to read with both children, I guess texture books, books with buttons to press, really chunky (chewable) books, bath books ... but go at his pace.

foxinsocks · 13/04/2009 18:08

some don't like sitting still

ds was a bit like this, he's sport mad and for the first time this year (he is 7), when he is tired, he will cuddle up with a book, but not always

not all children like sitting still and reading

it will probably come with time

it may not come very quickly

some boys love factual books for years and years (like guiness book of world records or factual books about cars, animals etc.)

lots of boys like those 'that's not my tractor' style books

persevere if you want but also recognise that he may not be the sit still and listen type of baby and at 11 months, that is really not unusual!

DontCallMeBaby · 13/04/2009 18:08

Keep trying, and chill, or give up for a while. I could NOT get DD to look at a book until she was well over two - I wanted to shred every bloody 'babies love books' Bookstart bag in existence. She's now five and has more bedtime stories than I care to admit to.

(I gave up for a while, btw, I'm not so good at the chilling)

MIAeatingeggs · 13/04/2009 18:09

Oh come on, don't knock her for trying to be a considerate parent. Babies can and do love books. It's a bit unfair to give the OP grief for caring too much.

brimfull · 13/04/2009 18:10

I honeslty thought you were joking

purepurple · 13/04/2009 18:11

try books aimed at babies that make noises, or have different textures, or ones that go in the bath

he is trying to chew them because that is where he is developmently-wise, so just let him handle them and try not to force him to sit and listen, you might turn him off reading

to be honest, I thought this was a piss-take when I saw your thread title

Original poster

bobsi · 13/04/2009 18:12

Everything we read/hear says that we should try and read to our children from when they are tiny babies. I only want to try to make him enjoy it. I don't mind if he doesn't want to, I just wondered if anyone could relate to my situation or offer any tips to make it more enjoyable.
I'll definitely get him some fabric flappy books and bath books are a great idea. Thank you all.

OP posts:

giantkatestacks · 13/04/2009 18:13

we have had the same experience in our house - ds would always sit for a story from a very young age and enjoyed the rhymes etc (he loved the repetition and used to squeal with delight) - it became part of the bedtime routine and worked really well when the bedtime bf eventually disappeared.

dd however isnt interested at all at exactly the same age as yours...the only book she will entertain is one with differently textured dinosaurs - she seems to enjoy much more physical play instead so thats what we do.

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