Reading to children over 5....

[HonoriaGlossop]

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.

I still read to my kids - nine year olds - every night.
We find things they probably wouldn't tackle themselves or stuff that might need some context and explanation. Eg Tom Sawyer needed an explanation as to why he uses the word 'nigger'. Flambards needed some discussion about the class system in the early part of the 20th century, and some ahem, chat about why one of the maids was 'in trouble'.
Then there's the fun stuff - treasure Island with comedy pirate accents, The Witches with spoof germanic accents 'rrrrrrevolting vorms'.
They ask, nay demand, it at bathtime and I am still very happy to oblige.

Goodness, I hope you don't all think I'm a freak!

In answer to someone's question, we're currently reading Charlotte's Web and The Bear Nobody Wanted, having just finished Beowulf and Akimbo and the Snakes by Alexander McCall Smith (which I highly recommend by the way). We've made our way through countless classics (and not so classics).

Usually have two chapter books on the go at any time and also read Bible and then spend time re-reading together favourite chapters of previous books and poems and picture books.

We all mutually love it, and intend to carry on for as long as that remains the case. And time really does fly, in my defense!

you're never too old to be read to IMO.

DS1 is 6 and a good reader but we read him chapter books (currently on Farmer Boy) every evening - he gets 2 chapters at most

I agree with Tommy. My boy is only 14 months so just starting to really enjoy his books and be able to point at things correctly. Yay !

My husband has always read to me which I think is lovely. We're really looking forward to a time when we can all share a bedtime story together as a family.

I bloody well hope ds is still letting us to read to him for a good few years yet. It's a lovely time of day, all snuggled up, cosy and relaxed.

He's just learnt to read and is currently insisting on reading the stories himself. Very sweet.

Ds1 is about to turn 8 and is a fluent reader. We still read to him at bedtime, even if he's just been reading the book to himself, and we pick up where he left of. Occasionally he reads dd's bedtime story to her. He likes the bedtime reading routine. It's nice quiet-time for all of us.

I babysit for an 11 year old (he was 11 months old when I started), who requests that I read a chapter from the book we currently on, when I babysit. We are currently working through the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books. He has read them all, but he still wants me to read a chapter every night I babysit.

I still read to my dd at 12 occasionally, because she enjoys it and I want her to have that pleasure. I think it helps her enjoy reading in general, and to be honest, when I spent the best part of six months reading Harry Potters, the whole family including the adults enjoyed it, lol!

I still read out loud to Yr9 (13-14yrs) students at school. They love it and not just because it means they can put their heads on the table and go to sleep!

They love it. Some of them actually beg me to read, because I seem to be able to put so much more into the words and sentences than them. I know they listen and enjoy too, because I stop and ask questions about what I've just read!

I still read with dd, who is almost 13. We share chapters. It makes for nice bonding mother and daughter time.

That's very encouraging, maureen. Love the idea of those 13/14 yos begging to be read to.

For what its worth I still read to my ds 8,10,12 and they love it, even tho they all read fluently by age 6... it is a shrang calming thing, even if it varies in length from a chapter to ten!!