My DS has little interest in writing - should I be concerned?

[suebfg]

My DS is 3 rising 4 and doesn't show any real interest in learning his alphabet or writing letters. When I've tried to encourage him, he says he's too young and he'll learn his alphabet when he's older! He loves books and we read tons together. He loves playing with words (rhyming etc) and is fine with his numbers and can do simple adds and subtracts.

On the one hand, I think I shouldn't worry as he is a happy bright little boy but on the other hand, I don't want him to be behind when he starts school.

Thoughts??? Any tips on how I might encourage him or is it best to let him come round to it in his own time?

No rush at all.

DS1 is in reception, not overly interested in reading or writing yet but school are happy with his progress.

There's plenty of time yet. Keep it all fun for him and it'll come I'm sure.

I think he has the right idea with what he says:o

Brilliant,he is obviously not daft!!!

3 is young for writing imho.

ds could write his name and simple words "cat" etc on leaving his (OFSTED outstanding) nursery.

They do the majority of this stuff at school.ds is 7 now and progressing well.

Let him enjoy his nursery stuff,if he shows an interest encourage it,but really I don't think you need to worry x

My ds1 is 3, will be 4 in 4 months.
He isn't that interested in sitting and writing. At the nursery he is at, they have to trace over their names before they go to carpet time. He hates it. he is too busy looking around and wanting to know what others are doing.
His teacher told me it is perfectly normal for boys to be like this.

I wouldn't worry too much about it at this time.

My Ds is 4 1/2 and not really interested either - a bit more into trying to read but not at all bothered about writing.

His preschool don't seem worried at all though. They say all the precursors to reading and writing are there, nad not to make an issue of it, so we don't!

We do bedtime stories every night buit that's about it for now.

My - now 7 yr old DS - was just like this, unlike the majority of his friends at nursery, and I too was concerned. A primary teacher friend of mine said that I shouldn't be worried and should just keep reading to him and keeping his interest in books and stories.

Fast forward 3 years of school and now he is one of the best readers in his class (bit of a boast there sorry!). His Reception teacher told me that they are more bothered that new starters can dress themselves and take themselves to the toilet, rather than whether they can read yet.

No, I wouldn't worry, especially at 3. My ds was the same, he is now 8.5 and doing very well at school.

He's only little, he'll have plenty of time to learn how to read and write, and many, many, many years of using what he's learnt!

He's not in school yet, he's still young, and he will learn most of everything that he needs to learn from his environment and by playing.

Don't forget as well that kids learn best when they WANT to learn. If he's telling you he's not ready, that's because his mind is directing him to another area of development. Try to keep an eye on what his current interests are, and enable him to develop skills in whatever he's focused on at the moment. It's all about supporting his current motivations.