Always wanting books read

[bulby]

I always swore that I would never turn my daughter away with a book as I want to encourage a love of reading BUT it now seems that all she wants is to sit and look at books and have them read to her. She is 21 months. Now I realise this may seem trivial and some people would love for their child to snuggle up and read a book but I am getting concerned that this is at the expense of most other play. Is this just her way of keeping our attention on her and should we start saying no or is it just that at the age she is she needs to interact so much? I don't really have much experience of other children so don't know what's normal.

Ds had a phase of this, from as soon as he was up until he went to bed. Like you I felt bad because I wanted him to love books, but got really fed up.
I'd let her tbh. She'll tire of it and move on to something else.

Maybe it is a phase and she'll get over it in a few weeks. But what you say about getting attention rings a bell with me - I know sometimes I am guilty of letting my DS (18 mo) get on and play by himself too much, and bringing a book over is his guaranteed way to get my attention as I will always read to him (unless I am having my breakfast!).

Are you offering her other types of play? DS is very into play-doh and felt tips at the moment. We also play with his toys sometimes, although this doesn't hold his attention as long. If you're doing this sort of thing with her then I wouldn't worry about the reading, it is probably just something she's into at the moment. DS has just recently started pointing to all the different things on the page and wanting to know what they are/making the animal noises etc, so this has renewed his interest in a lot of his books.

dd was like this IME tis a phase I read her 46 books one moning she was up at 6am, about the same age as yours now and she brought over book after book

she stopped after a few weeks still loves books and reads to dolly etc so hang in there

Agree it is a phase. But DS is the same and would have you reading books 24 hours a day.

What about structuring book time into the day, eg after breakfast, before bed, after you've had a walk etc?

i would read to DS most of the time if i could. not able to when we are in a rush to leave in the morning. when i am busy he sometimes takes the book himslef and babbles on reads to himself. it is very cute.

he does have phases of wanting it read all the time, but this seems to coincide with teething or just wanting comfort.

hiding all the books is another trick that happens very occasionally.

I agree with it being a phase and my ds's do use it to gain undivided attention from someone (it doesn't necessarily have to be me just someone they want to give them 100%, like someone else said any other play can be interupted) try different books, we have ones with magnets, pop up flaps, mazes, usborne 1001 things to spot or books with detailed illustrations (like little red train) it makes it a bit more interactive throughout the day and you can generally ask them a question and almost show them how to look at the books independantly, we have 'busy books' for day time and story book for in the mornings and at bedtime, imo it sounds quite normal

Thanks everyone. I was getting concerned I was raising a one dimensional child. She just noticed the CD in the back of tiger who came to tea and amused herself for half an hour putting it in and out of packet so perhaps she will develop other 'interests'.

My DS (2.1) went through this phase at about the same age. I too was keen to have him interested in books and read to him from a young age. It did drive me mad though as it was constant. I would read a few and then say that was enough.

He did get out of it. He loves books still but he is quite happy to sit and look at them by himself with us reading occasionally. Sometimes he won't let us read them at all but he 'reads' it by making up his own story from the pictures.

Don't over think this. Just read her stories. My dd's first joined up phrase was "Riddit dory. Riddit dory NOW!"

She is now a pretty well balances 14 year old who still likes reading, but likes discos and boys and horses and dancing and Scouts too!