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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Do you still read to your 8 year old?

42 replies

Matildathebrave · 22/06/2011 10:28

My eight year old boy loves me reading to him at night which I have done with him since a baby.

The only trouble is he refuses to read anything himself other than his school reading book.

He's above average for his reading in his class so is capable of reading a book but always wants me to read them for him, even paperbacks which we do a couple of chapters a night.

Should I continue what I am doing? My heart sais yes but something tells me I should be trying to encourage him to read more?

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IWantAnotherBaby · 22/06/2011 14:48

My nearly-8-year-old DS loves his bedtime stories. He reads to himself while I read to DD (3) who has 2-3 short books each night. Then he tells me what he has read about, reads aloud a few pages to me, then we do the whole bedtime routine (milk and snack, teethcleaning etc) and I read 2-3 chapters (depending on length) of a different book to him, on the sofa or in bed. We do sometimes alternate pages or chapters, but really its about him having a spell of relaxation and the luxury of being read to at bedtime, combined with 1-to-1 attention from me; a wonderful treat for any child that I intend to continue as long as he wants.

Poledra · 22/06/2011 14:49

Jinx I get unfeasibly annoyed when my DD decides to read some more of her book when I'm not there and I don't know what's happened! I had to resort to stealing the How to Train Your Dragon books from her room after she'd gone to sleep so I could catch up with her

daylightdreaming · 22/06/2011 14:55

My DS(almost 7) has time to himself after we've read to him and before he goes to sleep to look at books himself. He's been doing it for a while just looking at the pictures at first and now gradually reading to himself if he wants to. They're always easier than his school reading book and purely for pleasure. He can pick what he likes and usually has a two or three. We just started off by saying 'would you like to some books to look at before you go to sleep' - I think it worked because of course he's reluctant to go to sleep so he's up a little bit longer and it gives him back some of the control of his reading. We're hopeful that he'll gradually progress to more challenging books - either that or he'll be reading Happy Families when he's 15 :)

choccyp1g · 22/06/2011 15:17

I still read to my 10yo. He is a good reader, but reluctant to read much fiction. He will often read on for a while on his own.
I don't read the school books though, we choose bigger, longer, better books to read together.

TrilllianAstra · 22/06/2011 15:27

By the time I was 8 I wanted to read to myself because I read faster in my head than anyone did out loud, and I wanted to know what happened next in the story.

If this is the way that he most enjoys books, and if you enjoy doing it with him, I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

pointythings · 22/06/2011 20:29

I read to my DCs (8 and 10) every night - we all love it, it's a really nice end to the day. It'll always be a book that is new to them and that they are not reading themselves (though they can have it to read afterwards).

They are both voracious and very advanced readers, always have been, so this is on top of their normal reading habit (I am deliberately using 'habit' in the addictive sense, they are like me and DH in that they will read the ingredients label on the jam at breakfast if there is nothing else).

I think it's something you don't stop unless your DCs want you to, and it's just a lovely bonding thing. If you have a DC who struggles with reading it takes on an extra layer of importance though.

sugartongue · 22/06/2011 20:31

reading books at bedtime is the nicest part of the day. No matter how the DCs have behaved during the day, how ratty we have all felt with each other, there's time to put it all right before bed with some stories and quiet time. I'll keep doing it til they don't want me to anymore - I think I'll be quite sad when that time comes, it's just such a nice time together. Maybe then it'll be time for some more babies...

mathanxiety · 23/06/2011 01:48

I read through the whole of the Narnia series to my youngest DDs when they were 7 and 10. They loved it. DD2 recently read the first Harry Potter book to DD4 and got her hooked on HP.

tigercametotea · 23/06/2011 01:56

Its a nice way of spending time together between you and your DS. I think he sees it like that. My DD is 8 and still asks me to read to her too. Not because she can't read - I know she's capable of reading those books she asks me to read. But she just likes having me read to her. I've been doing that since she was a little toddler.

Jeannotplaying · 23/06/2011 02:12

Yes, definitely. The more you read, the more he will be into reading. I still read to my 12 year old. It is our time together. His primary head always recommended reading to them as long as they wanted, no matter how well they could read. I have been reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. We love it.

sarahfreck · 23/06/2011 14:12

Fantastic to keep reading to him. Don't stop. If you are worried about him not reading for himself, maybe ask him to read just the first page of every chapter, even if it is only a few lines ( If it is not very much, then he is less likely to protest!) and the desire to have it read to him may give him the incentive!

moajab · 23/06/2011 15:57

I still read to my 9 year old DS and I love the fact that we can now enjoy books together (I read him a chapter a night, but have usually finish reading it to myself after he goes to bed!) Like the OP I was concerned that he never read to himself, so about 6 months ago I suggested that he read to himself in bed and being a child who struggles to get to sleep he jumped at the chance top have the light on for a bit longer! To start with he read books which were a bit easier than the ones we read together, but then he discovered Michael Morpurgo and now I struggle to keep him supplied with books! He'll even read during car journeys rather than play on his ds!

Darem · 24/06/2011 11:29

Hi, I still read to my child. Best advice I can give you is to have your child read to you! Encourage him/her to put on voices etc and - hopefully like my child - they'll find your reaction so good that they'll want to do it on their own!

Plus it's a great way of seeing how all the reading you've done to them over the years pays off - I was very suprised and pleased to see my child using the same sounds etc.

TapselteerieO · 24/06/2011 11:40

DD is an avid reader but still loves us reading to her too, she is nearly ten, I think as others have said it is good to keep reading to your ds, I think it is important for more than just "reading age", I remember my Dad reading to me when I was a child, I loved it. I think it is just good to spend that time snuggled up with your child, but DH and I take turns, so one night I read to ds and he reads to dd and the next night we swap, we are reading different books to her too.

Butkin · 24/06/2011 15:08

DD (8) has to read her school reading books (nightly) and also her school library book (one a week) herself.

However I still read to her every night unless I'm away and these are usually slightly more advanced books which I can read at pace. She knows the drill ie she can't read these books ahead as I'd miss out!

stealthsquiggle · 24/06/2011 15:15

I read to my 8yo DS every night - more mature/complicated books than he reads by himself - and the ultimate threat/punishment (in his view) is "no story" (I don't use it often). I have to admit that there are many evenings when I am tired and grumpy and would rather not do it, but in more rational moments it is something very special that we share and I will miss it when he doesn't want to do it any more. He does occasionally read on without me, but I make him tell me what I missed !

Verin · 24/06/2011 16:24

Yes! Sometimes she finishes the chapter herself before going to sleep.

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