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Original poster

Ds reception - is it good idea to get A level student to read with my son 2 evenings a week?

30 replies

coolpaper · 14/04/2014 20:35

Just straggling to find enough time to read and to spend quality time with books. Work full time and very demanding hours etc. I could ask round if any gcse or a level students would be willing to come for 1 hour to read with him? Is it a good idea?

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Thesebootsweremadeforwalking · 14/04/2014 20:36

An hour seems like a long time for a 4/5 year old? Reading takes 15 mins max in our house.

LadyMaryLikesCake · 14/04/2014 20:37

You really don't have 5 minutes a day? Can he read to you just before he goes to bed? I'm not trying to make you feel shit, but t's not really about reading, it's 'you and him' time.

Savoytruffle · 14/04/2014 20:41

We incorporate reading into the bedtime routine every night, ds, also in reception, reads one book to us (his school reading book) and we read one book to him. It takes no more than 10 minutes, and its lovely as its part of bedtime settling down, and reconnecting time.
Could that be a possibility?
I think an hour of reading time would be too much! If your boy is with a childminder/ relative after school, could you ask them to help on some days when your work hours are especially busy?

MamaDoGood · 14/04/2014 20:43

You need to find 5 minutes in your day to do this. It isn't just about reading, it's quality time !

Original poster
coolpaper · 14/04/2014 20:56

I do reading with him but it is erratic pattern and wander if one solid hour of bits of reading writing maths etc would be beneficial

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LadyMaryLikesCake · 14/04/2014 20:57

An hour sounds a bit too much for a reception kiddy. He'll be knackered from school.

Rooble · 14/04/2014 21:04

I think it would be really hard for him to sit for an hour at a time and do this kind of thing. In YR we probably did 5 mins of DS reading to us daily (and then us to him), maths was nothing more than conversational - along the lines of you can have half and I'll have half - how many will we have each?
Making it formal runs a real risk of turning him off completely really early.
However, if you genuinely don't have five minutes in your day to sit with him, it is really important that someone does, because he does need to practise or he'll fall behind, so maybe you could pay someone to read with him daily. But I would suggest little and often rather than a great long session only twice a week.

HanSolo · 14/04/2014 21:05

We used to do it in the morning when DD was reception- she could concentrate better then, as she was very tired in the evening after school.

TeamEdward · 14/04/2014 21:09

This reply has been deleted

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17leftfeet · 14/04/2014 21:10

We used to do reading at breakfast time

In reception they spend enough hours at school, they don't need another hour at home

Original poster
coolpaper · 14/04/2014 21:11

I see the point but what about writing etc? It takes long time too

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TimeForAnotherNameChange · 14/04/2014 21:15

I agree with everyone else, having seen two children through reception very recently, you'll be lukcy if you get 5 mins productive time out of him some nights, and perhaps 15mins on a good night. You really need to reassess. It doesn't matter what the 'subject' is, it's the total time that will be an issue.

Original poster
coolpaper · 14/04/2014 21:17

I think you persuaded me perhaps when he goes to year 1 and needs more skills based learning

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freetrait · 14/04/2014 21:18

Forget the writing, you can do that in Y1. Just spend 5-20 minutes each night, whatever time it is. He reads to you, you read to him. Job done. Everyone happy. And if you don't make bedtime during the week do half an hour each day (two lots of 15 minutes) at the weekend. Enjoy, it's time you won't have again.

WhoAteAllTheCremeEggs · 14/04/2014 21:18

What about a student nursery nurse? The course I did (NNEB) is to work with children up to 7.
Their coursework would include needing to devise activities and games to support the early years and national curriculum. 10 mins reading and 20 mins playing a game shouldn't suck the fun out of learning.

IsItMeOr · 14/04/2014 21:21

What our DS's YR teacher recommended to us was to try for up to 10 mins of either reading or writing on days when he wasn't already doing a scheduled activity after school. We also always read to him every night.

Like others have said, we just work the maths into everyday conversation at mealtimes or in the car. It's all supposed to be as fun as possible at this age.

I think your hour-long plan is just going to be miserable for your DS.

Can you really, truthfully, not find 10 minutes per day to sit down with your DS? If that's the case, I would have bigger worries than the reading to be honest.

MrsKCastle · 14/04/2014 21:25

Seriously? No, don't do this. Not now, not in Y1. Your child needs you to read with/to/listen to him read for 5-10 minutes a day. It doesn't even have to be every day, but I'd say at least 4 times a week.

Reading is such a fundamental skill. For me, it's as important as bathing your child or teaching them manners, or showing them how to eat healthily. You wouldn't try to get someone else to teach those things to your child, why would you do it with reading?

titchy · 14/04/2014 21:26

Still don't see the need even in year1 tbh. He is at school learning for five hours a day you know. 10 mins a day reading. Maybe 15 mins at the weekend if he starts coming home with homework. Why do you feel he needs more on top of that?

LadyMaryLikesCake · 14/04/2014 21:26

I used to listen to ds reading whenever. If I needed to go to the supermarket I'd give him a joke book. I knew he understood the words as he'd laugh and tell me the joke Grin Reading doesn't have to be a 'sit down and read a story' job, there's loads of other ways - shopping list, joke book, recipe etc. You can work this into the day and it's so much fun that he won't realise he's doing homework. If his teacher's given him a reading book then 5 minutes before bed or before you start cooking supper really isn't a lot. I know you say you're busy but life's a juggle sometimes and you can do this.

freetrait · 14/04/2014 21:51

Get a routine like you have with brushing teeth, then it's easy Grin.

mrz · 15/04/2014 07:59

Reading for 5-10 mins a night (or as many times a week as you can manage) is far better than reading for 1 hour once a week.

mrz · 15/04/2014 08:01

The same applies in Year 1- one hour is unnecessary and likely to be counterproductive

sybilfaulty · 15/04/2014 08:16

Sympathies on the juggling act. It is so hard when you are busy at work and time is at a premium.

Can you get him to sit on the counter while you make supper and read to you then? Or when you put him to bed? My YR son writes me little notes and tries yo do shopping lists etc as and when. I dont force this though- sometimes he is too tired, not in the mood etcWe only do maths when it arises eg counting the carrots to buy, how many more yo make ten etc?

I think an hour is likely yo be overkill. You would have yo be in the house if this were going on so probably easier to find 5 minutes whilst you are waiting for the pasta to boil to do something gentle yourself.

sybilfaulty · 15/04/2014 08:17

Apologies for dreadful typing.

ReallyTired · 15/04/2014 08:22

Are you finding getting your child to practice reading scheme books a battle? Even some stay at home mothers find getting a resistant child to read is hard.

I think its a great idea to get a student to help you out rather like a mothers' help. Why don't you get the student to do some housework after 15 minutes of reading. It would free up your time to spend quality time with your son.