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?

I find DD (9 months) is too tired to even look at a book at bedtime-but she wakes earlier than her big brother at 6 am so one of us staggers off to make her milk while the other tries to read to her although she mainly wants to grab it/turn the pages herself/ eat it/throw it off the bed she has recently started to enjoy the very hungry caterpillar (she likes her food...) as well as anything with flaps/textures or pop up.

would echo what ladyg says wiht dd of similar age - the ladybird babytouch books (that are very bright with lots of texture in) and the richard scarry books (loads of bright pictures) are the most successful things we've shown her (even at library she prefers to eat rather than read teh books)

I would never have even considered reading a story book to DS until he was at least 2. He had hard books with pictures in and the words underneath. I think these are much more suitable as babies wouldn't understand a proper story anyway. With these picture/wood books you can't really read them so I would just put them on the floor for him to play with - bash, chew, turn the pages, open and slam shut etc and I think that's fine tbh. If I had time sometimes whilst he did this I would lie down on the floor with him and every so often point out a picture and say what it was.

My DD would never sit and read a book with us at all. Always far too interested in what was going on around her to be sat on anyones lap for more than a minute.
She is 11 now and a bookworm getting through a book a day.

DS was always happy to be read to from a baby,but didn't start reading novels really until he was nearly 13.

It's not reading to them that gives them a love of reading, its you setting an example of showing an enjoyment of reading that will do more good.

I'm not 'mocking', but 11 months? Seriously. Chill out.

Ds at that age wanted action! So I really only used books to remind myself of nursery rhymes, and silly songs. He didn't want to look at pictures but at me saying things!

Now he is a complete bookworm. We just used books as a springboard, by the age of 1.5 he was interested in pictures and pages, and could listen more patiently. Still liked a good chew though!

My DD1 enjoyed books from birth, she loved them so it was such a lovely way to spend time cuddled up reading to her. DD2 really wasn't interested for the first 2 years but we persevered. Chose shorter books to begin with to keep her attention and gradually increased the length when we felt she could cope with it. Now at just under 3 she loves books just like her big sister and is also picking up more language and some letters from reading. So although it is very young I would suggest keep persevering with lots of very simple picture books to begin with just so that eventually your baby will learn to love it...whereas if you give up completely then it will be more of a battle when you do start looking at books again.

Great thread title! Next up: Baby not interested in nuclear physics!
No, seriously, DD1 was like your DD and liked books from a very early age. DD2 was much livelier and didn't get into books until later. Just wait until he shows an interest.

Oh DS also liked song and nursery rhyme books when he was a baby rather than story books.

I would say that words are far more important than books (the Bookstart emphasis is IMO slightly misplaced, which is probably down to commercial pressures)

I would go with some lively bouncing rhymes and songs and tickling games. I would also try (because I'm a mad sling addict ) putting him in a sling and charging about the house doing rhymes. Also you could try reading books that way too - he'd be pinned down a bit, and you could keep moving if it helped get him interested, then gradually dial down the activity level till he was sitting on your lap.

My DS1 adores books but didn't show the slightest interest in them until he was 18mths old. I had a few fabric books for him and a few textured picture books ("That's not my(whatever)" books are great) but he would just try to eat them. Once he did discover them there was no going back - he loves books. He used to memorise bed times stories and 'read' them back to himself at 2.5ish and would sit with me for hours if I let him, looking at books.

It isn't too late for your DS to get into books but boys being boys, on average, they are more active than girls and not as happy to sit and listen. They like to be doing, hence the bashing and the chewing.

I do agree that part of the importance of reading to your baby is that they get to hear language and particularly if you read a child's book you get language that is appropriate to them. You don't need a book for this though. Just keep talking to him about anything and everything. You can sing nursery rhymes and play out action rhymes and all that language will be absorbed. Looking at the actual books will come later.

By complete contrast to DS1, DS2 is an all-action boy and didn't like to look at book when tiny but he always loved rhymes. It had no ill effect on his language skills - he talked earlier than DS1. You will not do any harm by not reading to your DS yet
so let him be for a bit and try again in a few months.