Reception Reading and Working Mums and Dads

[LadyPenelope]

DD is in Reception and as DH and I work full time, I'm beginning to panic about how we will be able to give her enough support to learn to read.

She gets 3 reading books a week, which we keep for a couple of nights (Mon, Wed, Fri.) At the moment these have either no words or a few words. She also gets 2 other books a week (which we have for the week.) And a Sound Book to practice Jolly Phonics.

I only get home at around 7pm and it's lights out at 7.30 and she is tired, so although we always read the book, she doesn't get much time or opportunity to talk about the story, review the words etc. It's easier when DH is around but he travels most weeks so isn't around at bedtime most weeknights.

I will probably get nanny to read to her in afternoons to give her some extra practice. What do other working families do?

I watch this thread with interest....DS starts school in January. I'm in similar position, although I work three days a week. I like DS to be in bed by 7pm (he's shattered by then) and I do really worry how all this will get done. Bringing back horrible memories of being at school and absolutely detesting homework. Sorry to hijack...hope there are some practical solutions out there.

Homework is part of our nanny's brief - all in the contract and agreed with her; so she has equal responsibility (with us) for it during the week - she fills in the school link book and so on. For your reception dd it should only be ten minutes or so after school, so not a big commitment. We've now got a year 1 and a year 2, so a bigger job for her.

Then we do lots at the weekend.

Our day is shorter LadyPenelope, and ds' bedtime later, so I don't think I can offer much help.
Only that it can be done, you may need to delegate the "chore" reading to your nanny and keep reading with mummy and daddy a pleasurable activity. I fretted about this greatly but ds picked up reading in no time despite my often worrying we were rushing it at a tiring time of the day.

Also another working mum with 2 ds's, one in year 3 and one in Reception and with a nanny. Agree that much of the homework has to be delegated to the nanny. She does all ds1's reading and spellings and we do more reading, extra "fun" worksheets etc at the weekend and give the spellings a final going-over, ready for the test on Monday. With ds2, I usually give the reading book a second read when I get home and usually do a few lines of letter formation as ds2 finds this difficult and is inclined to play up with the nanny. But anymore would be impossible to fit in and unfair on him as he is already tired and winding down when I get home about 6.15 ish.

I'm in the same boat LadyP, DS is in P1 (which in Northern Ireland is probably the equivalent of your receeption year).

I find he's quite tired when we get home at 6pm. Currently, he is looked after by a friend after school and she has taken to supervising his homework and I run through it again with him when I get home.

It's not ideal and I dread the time when the homework gets more complicated and demanding.

What I have started is a bit of light reading in bed. We do a trade off, he reads me a few pages and I read him a bedtime story and then it's lights out.

I'm considering asking for part time hours (9am - 2pm) in 2 years time when DD will start preschool

Reading practice is helpful but being part of a lively happy family is going to have as much bearing on future success as the number of times you manage to read the books. If it can be fitted in reasonably soon after school then that can be helpful before the children are tired. What about mornings? Some families, not mine! are early birds and can do a read through then. Talking whilst in the car going places about whatever sounds they are learning could help but unless there are real issues, a relaxed approach is going to be the best.

We used to sometimes spend 10mins reading before school, after breakfast. That time is now used for guitar practice

Our nanny has been doing homework with our boys (rec and yr 2) for the past couple of years and they are doing fine. I would rather they get into the habit of homework first when you get home than wait around for us when they are tired and want to chill out. We read a bedtime story - captain underpants at the moment! we do home work if we are home early and sometimes at weekend although we do try to get it all done on Friday so they have the weekend for play

Yes didn't someone say on another thread that one of the most important things for learning to read is lots and lots of practice, BUT this includes 'reading' everything you come into contact with - cereal packets, road signs etc.

I think in some ways that's better too because they don't feel they are sat down for a 'reading lesson' as such.

Very good point Gspook, our eldest (6) reads everything on the ay to school, trucks roadsigns etc. He has started to discover the value of reading for finding out things and the other night I discovered him reading cat in the hat out loud to himself in bed, i was so proud

LP this is a hard one isn't it. Funny how just when you thought they wouldn't need you so much (ie when they start school) they seem to need you even more in some ways.
We both work semi-full-time but are lucky enough to be able to juggle hours and fit in some reading after or before school with one of us. But I wonder how ds1's best pal whose mum works 9-5.30 every day manages.
Can your nanny do some with her, not ideal I know but better than nothing.
Do you get even five minutes in the morning? It's worth trying to squeeze in little bits of time, better anyway than a big long session.

oh on reading the thread belatedly I see my reading in the morning" advice is not helpful to you LP!
Some other good ideas here tho re reading when out and about - road signs, packets in the shop, etc etc