baby not interested in reading

[bobsi]

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?

DS was only interested in tractors, diggers and cars at that age, books with surprise mirrors or pictures of babies (photos not drawings). I couldn't read him a story, even a five page story, until he was about 20 months and even now (2.1) he isn't very interested unless the story is about a train, a tractor, a digger etc. I really wouldn't push it.

bobsi - I know where you're coming from. Books are very important to me and dh and we tried to introduce dd1 to them from a very early age. However it just wasn't her thing till she was well into her second year, dd2 and dd3 have been totally different and 'in' to books from babyhood. It hasn't made any difference to dd1 - she is very bright and bookish now. Just do as others have suggested and see if he likes more 'doing' things for a bit. Let him see you reading with your dd and reading yourself. Have lots of books around so that he can just pick them up if he wants to. All these things will help foster a love of reading and books.

My DD like yours was well into having books read to her by 9 months old and when DS came along I assumed he would be the same! NO WAY LOL!!

He was older than a year before I could even get him to look at the book but what I did find was to read to him the simplest books with bright colourful pages. DS ended up really liking a book because I would make silly noises, bounce him up and down on my knee at certain points and tickle him at others. He then knew what was coming and was giggling waiting for the funny bits to come. I found he was more reluctant to look at new books too until he had done it death unlike DD!!

Just a thought but that really worked and since then he has really come to enjoy having lots of bedtime stories read to him he is nearly 4 now.

HTH,xxx

the 'Thats not my.....' series from DK were always a success with my DS'. DS2 is 19 mths now, but never enjoyed stories as much as DS1 , but these touchy feely books were a good way in to reading stories together

I would n't worry about it . Set an example by letting him see you and dd enjoy sharing books and when he is a bit older offer him a choice of book to bring you to show him. Meanwhile have some sturdy board books around as toys for him to handle and look at.

i think it is unfair to try to 'teach' a baby how to enjoy books when he should be enjoying looking at his hands

Yes, my little boy is 14mths and would rather eat the book than read it. He is very active- and I would say totally normal. They will be interested when they are ready. Don't feel guilty they will learn more from everyday life at this age.

Thanks everyone, it's great to know how different they all can be. I feel a bit better about it all now and will definitely try some of your ideas - especially barmeymummys one

Neither of my boys would sit for a bedtime story at that age. They were both addicts before 18 months.

Ds2 also likes I Spy type books. Or just taking a simple book like "No David" and then asking him to find different things in the pictures.

I'm really surprised that some people have been so sarcastic tbh.

Another idea is to make your own books with lots of photographs of your little one, relatives etc. Both of my dds used to love looking at homemade books featuring them, from quite an early age! Not stories, just lots of pics, with things like 'Nanny loves __' , '---- is having a bath' etc.

I love that idea Janeite, dd will love helping me do it also

Having said that he does like his bath book- its about penguins and has a squeaky penguin attached. He also likes a plastic one from the ELC which sings nursery rhymes and there are little flaps he can press which makes noises or sing songs.

You always get a few sarcy comments on here don't you? I find it quite amusing as I don't understand why someone would post just to be snide, and I've noticed it tends to be the same posters so don't take it personally, just ignore

Don't worry neither is my 9yo

Hi Bobsi,
I can understand where you're coming from, as I have a 4 year old dd who also, like yours, LOVED books from v early on, and now I have a much more active/can't sit still ds (15 months). He had no interest in books under the age of 1, but a few months ago became a total book addict, continually bringing books to me to look at. So I would just say keep showing him books and maybe he'll cotton on. We found flap books/pictures of other babies work the best with him. Good luck,

Those reactions were a bit rough! I think it's a perfectly reasonable thing to talk about.

I felt the same about reading with my DS, particularly when I saw friend's girls of the same age sitting and practically reading the books themselves while DS found the mirrors in the books and licked his reflection! (Clearly the intellectual of the group!)

Just so you know not to worry too much - he wasn't interested in any book without pop-ups until about 18 months. We basically stuck to 3 or 4 that he really liked and went to the library every couple of weeks, borrowing lots of books, not worrying that he just bashed those while looking at his favourites, until he suddenly developed an interest. We still go to the library every 2 weeks and now I struggle to get him to put the books away to go to sleep.

I understand where you're coming from - I really enjoy reading with him now and it was so nice when he suddenly decided he loved it. (Having said that, he's now 26months and only wants to read books about motorbikes and guitars - oh, help me!)

My mum struggled to get my brother interested in books until he was about 6, he was just far too busy for it. It eventually became their 'thing' to do together, far more than with me. Now he is one of the most avid readers I know.

Maybe it's a boy thing? Maybe it's just our boys! Keep reading!

you are tossers you know
let's all mock the op for trying to be a good, concerned mum

op i know what you mean
my ds2 just bashes the books and i have also virtually given up doing it as regular thing
i think it is fine to just try occasionally, an interest may come later - but tbh i think it can be a typical second child thing not to be so interested in books
we need to appreciate their differences and not worry!

My dd like yours loved books early on eating them, bashing them , pointing at furry bits and sitting on our knees while we read them from about9 mnths on, ds has had no interest at all other than scribbling on any he finds, he is nearly 2 and a half and has just started talking more now and has suddenly took a real interest in books ontrucks and dinosaurs and the night garden etc and now tortures us - today i have read wooly and the train at least 12 times - i admit it has become a chore today! choo choo naughty woolly stopped the train grrrrrrrrrrr

OP, I must admit I did when I read the thread title, but then I read your post and I do see what you mean.

Fwiw, my ds has gone through various phases of loving looking at books to being totally disinterested. It can be a tad wearing when they go through a "Mummy, read it!" phase. Your dc will come round if it is a normal part of daily life. Just let him see you and dd enjoying books together.

I have exactly the same with my two, dd was looking at books from very early on but ds isn't at all interested. He'll sometimes bring me a book but only looks at a page or two before losing interest.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/behaviour_development/734274-should-I-be-reading-to-ds-and-if-so-how

Here's another link for a similar discussion going on further down the list of topics, so you see, you're not alone!
This thread (if you can get there with the link has some good suggestions).

you cant make him enjoy it! he'll get into books when he is ready to tbh.
If you push him and keep trying to make him sit still so you can read when he really doesnt want to, then you risk putting him right off as he'll associate reading with feeling cross.
Just keep reading to DD and he'll join in and listen when he's ready.
Also try sitting in the middle of the room when he is playing in there, start reading a book all to yourself out loud and do the funny voices etc. If you make it sound fun enough he will eventually come to you to see what you are doing

my DS1 is similar to yours Bobsi although DS2 seems to enjoy the cuddles and the quiet time of a story. DS1 will take a book off on his own into his room and sit looking at the pictures in his own time but isnt interested in being "read to". DS1 is getting used to the story at the end of rhyme-time in the library, but i feel that as long as he is used to books, he will come round to the idea of sitting and having a story read to him

Not sure that that is any use to you at all but maybe ensure that your DS had free access to picture books to he can look at them himself

My twins are 11mo and I don't read books to them yet - they wouldn't appreciate it. If he doesn't like it, just wait till next month and try again. Enjoy the fact that he doesn't want a story - he will be badgering you for 'just one more' in a few years time!

Haven't read all the suggestions so apologies if I'm repeating. I think books are important and have always read to ds1. DS2 was much like your ds although he is 1 now and has started to hold books and look at them. I've always found the best time to read him is while he is having his evening milk before bed. I sit with him in his bedroom with no distractions and read while he has a sleepy drink.

At first he showed no interest but now he will take his bottle out of his mouth and look at the book and and turn to me when I read certain words or make certain sounds.