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Original poster

Reading to children over 5....

37 replies

HonoriaGlossop · 25/08/2008 20:12

Just thought I'd do a quick poll as MN is so good for this sort of info. We still read to DS each night, he's six. I imagine this will go on for a good while yet, years I would hope.

Just wondered how old your kids are/how old they were when you stopped/whether they told you to bog off once they could read fluently or whether it was you stopping?

Thanks.

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Madlentileater · 25/08/2008 20:17

still reading to ds occassionaly, he is 12 and struggles with reading. TBH I have had enough, have been reading aloud for about 18 yrs I now realise, but can't bear to think of him having no fiction in his life. With the others, read well past the age when they were competent readers. Till about 10 probably

redpyjamas · 25/08/2008 20:17

I usually read for about 1 to 2 hours with mine at bedtime, when we're in our normal routine. They're 7 and 5. It's not that they can't read themselves, but we just enjoy it so much. I love it too, or I wouldn't agree to it. The kinds of books we read often spark off interesting conversations.

MaloryDontDiveItsShallow · 25/08/2008 20:19

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slavemum · 25/08/2008 20:19

dss are 6 & 8. both more than capable of reading themselves,but still love me reading to them. Hope it carries on for a long while

MaloryDontDiveItsShallow · 25/08/2008 20:19

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MrsMattie · 25/08/2008 20:19

My mum read to us until we were about 10 yrs old I think (not every night, though). I could read at the age of 4 yrs old, but still loved my mum reading to me at bedtime.

1-2 hours @redpyjamas. I manage about 15-20 mins with DS most nights, but find it knackering!

Original poster
HonoriaGlossop · 25/08/2008 20:20

thanks

I'm hoping DS wants us to read for ages yet. redpj's, that's a long time of reading!! I think we probably do about 20 mins tops with ds! What are you reading to them at the mo?

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lostinfrance · 25/08/2008 20:22

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oi · 25/08/2008 20:24

lol at 1-2 hours. That is seriously impressive. I think I'd be hoarse after a week of that.

dd (8) and ds (nearly 7) can read fluently and we stopped reading to them about a year or so ago I think. We stopped it rather than them asking us to stop. Sometimes they ask us to read and then we do (they are totally transfixed), dh better than I am as he does good voices and accents!

Original poster
HonoriaGlossop · 25/08/2008 20:25

just out of interest why did you stop it oi?

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thornrose · 25/08/2008 20:28

My dd is 8 and I read a chapter or 2 each night, IMO it's not about whether they can read for themselves it's just a lovely thing to do if you both get pleasure out of it.

MorocconOil · 25/08/2008 20:32

Still reading to my 6 and almost 9 year old at bedtime. Sharing a book together seems a nice way to end the day. Also even though my 9 year old is a fluent reader, he still mispronounces words and being read aloud to helps with this.

We are reading Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo.

oi · 25/08/2008 20:35

I don't know. It coincided with me going back to work so some of it was time issues (i.e. me not always making bedtime).

Also, their book interests suddenly and drastically divulged. Whereas when they were little, they would happily both listen to Mog and the Gruffalo and Winnie the Witch, as they got older, ds became v interested in sports books and dd stuck to the traditional girls' books (and we've always let them choose their own books, no matter what).

Funnily enough, I put them in bed earlyish tonight and said they could read and saw them both reading a Horrid Henry book together so I think ds is starting to grow out of reading '1000 facts about cricket' type books (and not a moment too soon ).

Also, when ds started bringing home longer reading books from school, once he had read his book to us or the nanny, he was often a bit tired of reading and didn't want to hear a story.

KM1 · 25/08/2008 21:46

My dd is starting secondary school next week and we are still reading to her every night for 45 mins - 1 hour. My ds is 7 and into very different things to his sister so my dh reads to one child and I read to the other and we swap children the next night. They are both very fluent readers so it is absolutely not about their ability to read to themselves. We can read things to them that they wouldn't manage to read to themselves thus stretching them and opening them up to new ideas. It is also a very good way to end the day spending time together.

Takver · 25/08/2008 21:57

Agree with km1 about a good way to end the day - atm we are working our way through the Swallows & Amazons series with DD, even though she is fluent reader it is a good and positive way to end the day, esp if we have all been busy and haven't had much time together.

KerryMum · 25/08/2008 21:58

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Tinkjon · 26/08/2008 00:17

Had a reading meeting with DD's teacher last term - she said that there have been studies that show that you should carry on reading with your child until well after they have been able to read for themselves.

Chocolateteapot · 26/08/2008 00:36

We still read to DD who will be 10 at the end of the year even though she has read fluently for a few years now and has just started going to the library on her own to sort her books out. She opens up about things that have happened during the day so no plans to stop yet. The SENCO at her school is adamant that it is very important to continue to do this when they can read but I have also forgotten what the study she quoted said.

Clary · 26/08/2008 00:56

I still read to all mine (9, 7, 5).

If it's late then an old pciture book (they will still listen to the Gruffalo etc) and if more time then Roald Dahl, The Borrowers, library books etc.

For context: DS1 is 9 and not a great reader, nor a very willing one. DD is the 7yo and can read more or less anything.

Come to think of it she is the one most likely to dip out of listening as she is busy re-reading Magic Faraway Tree or whatever.

Clary · 26/08/2008 00:58

A colleague of mine used to read to his two boys well into their secondary years IIRC.

He read things like Lord of the Rings which might have been a bit much for them alone (watch out for s/one to tell me their 6yo has read it!).

I think that's a bit unusual but I thought it was FAB.

SofiaAmes · 26/08/2008 02:47

My dad read to us every night after dinner until we went off to university. It is one of my fondest childhood memories. My dc's (5 and 7) still love to be read to and I hope to continue for years to come.

alipiggie · 26/08/2008 03:57

I love reading to my boys aged 5 and 6 1/2 and we're currently reading The Tale of Despereaux - wonderful wonderful book. Highly recommend. I"m a total bookworm and always have been. My two love books as well and I can't wait for them to be really really able to read for themselves to the same extent. But for us - reading together is our chill down time everyday.

smartiejake · 26/08/2008 07:12

Still read to both my dds (aged 12 and 10)although not every night.

The eldest is into children's classics I loved as a child such as "Anne of Green Gables" and "Ballet Shoes"

DD2 loves the school stories(St Clares and Malory towers) by Enid Blyton which I also read over and over as a child.

Have also read a fair bit of J. WIlson to both of them recently.

They have both been fluent readers from a fairly young age but still love to be read to and I love reading out loud.

bloss · 26/08/2008 07:55

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3andnomore · 26/08/2008 08:09

phew...am I glad others were at redpyjamas 1-2 hours....I thought for a minute there was somehting wrong with me

Tbh, es never liked me reading to him

I do read to ms (5 1/2)/ys (4) and no idea when that will stop. It is part of bedtime routine....1 story and each can chose one nursery rhyme to sing and then bed...