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Original poster

Difficulty getting LO interested in books

12 replies

Emi06 · 08/11/2013 11:37

Hi everyone!

My LO is 7 months now and I've been trying to get him interested in books but nothing seems to work. I've tried textile books, books with different things to feel, face books, animal books etc... I've also tried at different times of the day and making the noises or movements that go with the images but LO only seems to have one aim at the moment and that's to stand up. He therefore keeps fidgeting, pushing on his legs or looks away/sucks thumb during our booktime Sad

Has anyone got any similar experiences and how did you overcome this problem? Any suggestions are very welcome. Smile

OP posts:
Flibbertyjibbet · 08/11/2013 11:45

We didn't have a problem to overcome with this because at 7 months we let him try and stand up, chew things, investigate noisy toys etc.

Our sure start centre ran a weekly group 'read to your baby' which I started going to when ds1 was about 8m, the kids there were up to about 2. None of the children were particularly 'interested' in the books, we mums just sat about drinking the free teas and chatting.

He will have no concept at all of what a book is, so show them to him, read to him from them, but don't expect him to give them any 'attention' as at that age they just want to be looking around and exploring everything.

Pascha · 08/11/2013 11:47

Sounds about right Grin. He's found his feet and nothing else will appease him for now. DS2 was the same a month ago at 9 months. I wouldn't worry about having a specific 'book time' for now, just have them about, read some stories while he finds his feet, download an audiobook or two and have it playing in the background, spend a minute on a touchy-feely book but don't push it if he's not bothered. At 7 months he has the attention span of a gnat so just try a bit, leave it a bit, do something else, read while he has milk, in the highchair, wherever, put a book on in the car instead of the radio.

They all get better at it eventually.

SavoyCabbage · 08/11/2013 11:48

I wouldn't give it another thought. Read a bedtime story and other than that, leave books for a bit later.

noblegiraffe · 08/11/2013 11:56

Crikey, he's 7 months, I thought you were going to say he was 3. Stop stressing, keep having books around, read stories and give it a year.

jeee · 08/11/2013 11:58

When DC1 was six months old I was at a baby group, and the subject of books came up. Apparently every baby in the room (all the same age as it was a NHS group) loved reading, and got excited at the mere sight of a book.

I went home and cried because the only interest my DD showed in books was jamming them in her mouth.

It took me at least two years to work out that the other mothers were being economical with the truth exaggerating slightly.

Original poster
Emi06 · 08/11/2013 12:02

Thanks for your thoughts everyone (you can tell I'm a first time mum can't you? Wink )

I feel a bit more reassured now thanks, cos a couple of my friends often talk to me about how their babies just LOVE books from about the age of 5 months! So I started worrying about it, that's why. But I feel a bit better about it now, thanks! Smile

Just out of interest, when your LOs did start taking an interest, what worked best for them?

OP posts:
LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 08/11/2013 12:04

Go with the flow!
DD1 was very into books from 6 months on but this is quite rare IME.
If you force it, he will hate books.
DD2 just ate (yes past tense of eat) books until she was 2 and a bit , then just pretended reading on her own turning the pages very fast, and wouldn't let anybody read anything from it.
For the last 6 months she is actually listening to stories (3.8 yo).
It will come in time, your DS has so much else to learn for now.

DB didn't read anything for pleasure before he was at Uni, he reads probably more than me now...

Pascha · 08/11/2013 12:06

DS2 is 10 months and taking a fleeting interest in Thats Not My Snowman right now (eating it, moving the page back and forth etc) Its only in the last week or so that he's been actively interested in the book as an object.

LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 08/11/2013 12:06

What worked best for DD2 is having the reading time at preschool/nursery, and having her big sister reading to her, peer pressure I guess.

Meglet · 08/11/2013 12:06

As long as you read a (very) short bedtime story at that age then he'll get used to books in time. But he's at a wriggly age so don't force the issue too much.

Some books are more fun to read, and listen to than others. Although I can't remember what books mine enjoyed at that age as it was so long ago, sorry I can't be more helpful!

extracrunchy · 08/11/2013 12:09

Erm he's 7 months!? Give him a break - there's far too much to chew and explore and try and climb on. He'll get there. We used to just make sure we read a bedtime story to DS at that age, the rest of the time he wasn't particularly interested. Now (aged 2.5) he is very into books

rachyconks · 08/11/2013 12:10

My DD is 11 months and has only just discovered books, but if they haven't got flaps or pop ups she is not interested! She will sit on the floor surrounded by the just turning the pages. It's so cute.

I think some children are interested and other arent. I was a really big reader as a child and had an interest from a young age whereas my DB couldn't have cared less and would rather be out eating worms. At the end of the day, we are now both competent readers!

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