Reading everyday year 1 and full time working

[leftyloosy]

Ds has just started in year one. We've been told by the teacher we should be reading with him every day. This week has been hard enough, as he is so tired. But next week I start a new job, working full time and he will be in wrap around care until 5.30pm. I just can't work out how we will be able to fit it in. He is so tired, and reading with him is often like pulling teeth!

Anyone have any suggestions?

We do it at bedtime. I read a bit to him. He reads a bit to me. We normally manage a good half hour. But then we are both quite book wormy and love our stories.

I have children in reception and year one. Both have to read every night. We get home from work ( they come in my office after school) around 6.30pm now. Usually dh or I listen to them both between 7-7.30pm whilst the other makes dinner. Then they eat, bath sometimes, and then we read a non school book to them together in bed. Bed around 9pm.
This is our second year now of daily reading and This routine seems fine for now, but I can see it being longer next year when both are reading longer more difficult books!

Same as Cardiff - I used to let mine read words they knew, or words they could sound out as we were reading bedtime stories. We'd make sure we chose a mix of books from the library each time - some for me to read to them, and some they could have a good go at themselves. They'd also often want to show off if they'd brought a book home from school so we sometimes had to read that too.

It is hard but if they are tired and you are pushed for time I think reading in bed is the way to do it. I do it with my DD every night (unless she falls asleep beforehand) come hell or high water. I've done it since she was tiny and its now a routine and she gets very irritated if I don't do it.

When ds was little, we did reading in the morning as once we'd picked him up in the evening he just wanted tea and bed. And he needed to be in bed with the light off at 7, so there wasn't a lot of time.

My Ds was a very enthusiastic reader so not had to deal with a reluctant reader however I did want to add the expectation is 5-10 minutes at that age not half an hour

Oh ours have to read it themselves, so is just listening and them reading,not us to them. Hence we do that bit between 7-7.30pm as don't want them potentially struggling and them associating it with bedtime. At bedtime is when dh or I read to them so they can relax or fall asleep if they want

Yes, this is him reading to me. It is painful! He goes to bed at 7-7.30pm, not sure he cope with much later. Might try the morning. We have to leave at 7.30 am so will be a squeeze too.

We have no issue with bedtime stories. He loves stories and being read to. But reading the dullness of school books is hard. He thinks he's rubbish at reading and gives up easily. He also randomly guesses when he's tired, I think he thinks I will let him give up - I don't.

I think that sleep at this age is really important. Some children need more sleep. My November born reception boy is asleep by 6.30 or 7 at the latest. I would suggest that if your son isn't too keen, start with 5 minutes everyday (perhaps he reads a page, then you read a page), and once it is understood that reading every night is just a fact of life, work on him reading a bit more. And use rewards if that makes him feel more positive about it. And don't feel guilty about not doing loads if he is tired. Hope new job goes well

I'd just start with what you can and focus on that, 5-10 mins when you can - if the odd grumpy night is missed then don't panic. He will get more used to it and more confident, but you need to persevere. Better to read 2 pages and you find one good thing to praise, than be battling through pages and him losing confidence. If you start with the routine then I'm sure the duration will follow. However we have also occasionally read in the car to school, or the morning. Can his childcare do it at all?

X-posted! Sounds like that is what you are doing. I'd also tell him that it is hard work to begin with and then it does get easier. My now avid reader found the stages after it wasn't novel and before it was fluent hard work.

We always did it just before bedtime, mixed in with us reading to them, then as they got older spellings and times tables were added to the mix too, we still do all this stuff last thing (they are 9 and 11 now).

Could you set the alarm 10 mins earlier and have 10 mons with him snuggling in the bug bed with you and reading you a story before the rushing around starts?

Don't beat yourself up about it not being every day. Just do what you can. Maybe twice a day at weekends and aim for two occasions on weekdays.

We don't manage to listen to DS read every day but fortunately the school is understanding of the pressures of full time jobs.

Mornings. Get everything ready the night before, then up, dressed, breakfast, teeth (or whatever order) then 5 mins on the sofa. Or even at the breakfast table. Much, much less painful.

I could have written your OP! I've been really stressed about trying to fit in DD's reading homework alongside a bit of downtime and bath time and spending time with my younger child and trying to read to both of them. We managed last year when the books were fewer and easier but I've been tearing my hair out over the past few days.

I realised that I was transmitting my anxiety to DD which was making the whole situation worse. She started messing around and fussing and seemed to become a less confident reader.

So I'm calming down. The object is for DD to be healthy and happy which won't happen if I stress about reading. This evening I set the timer for ten minutes and she concentrated really well knowing that I wouldn't get cross with her and that she can stop when the bell goes off. I've cheated and signed her card even though she didn't finish the book because I can't see the value in slogging on with the same boring book.

It worked well this evening and I think it's doable in the short term. i'll let you know.........

um yes, reading. Before we had DC we said, oh we will read to them every night. We have DCs in Yrs 1 and 5 and tbh rarely read to them.

They do so much, we do so much - work etc that reading goes out of the window. The boys can read and enjoy reading in their own time so I have stopped stressing!

I recently bribed DS1 to read Harry Potter which he did, so I now owe him £20. DS2 will no doubt be hot on his heels!

We used to do reading in the mornings. But sometimes I just asked her to read me words in the book I was reading to her at bedtime. I would pick words I knew she'd know - or short sentences. Sometimes she made a fuss sometimes she'd do it happily.
Reading is hard work for them when they know some words but don't have fluency. Sneak it in whenever you can.

Some helpful suggestions here about encouraging general reading but I think that the stress the OP is experiencing comes from having to read the books that the school give out and needing to meet a deadline to have finished it by. In other words, no choice about what or how much the child needs to read.

I found mornings better, I would leave early and sit in car outside school for 5 minutes with child in passenger seat. It took pressure of as I was already there. Keeping a cheque book in the car for letters you find at the last minute requiring contributions also helped and I would write those as they read. consent

With DD1 it became part of the bedtime routine, DD2 was too tired and unmotivated in the evenings, but she's an early riser so we've moved breakfast by 10 minutes to make time for it then. Can you get your childcare setting to do some reading as your time with your son is clearly very short / pressurised.

How can they read their homework and eat at the same time?

I think the problem op has is the same as us. Not the reading a book to them. But the fact they have to read their school books aloud to an adult every night for the next morning.
It's the same here, we can't not do it or only let them do 5 mins as their homework is to read the whole book or to page x to an adult. We then have to sign to say they have read, write any tricky words etc. If they don't do it they end up in trouble at school and then have two books the next night, and we get scolded for keeping them back. Hence it has to be done every night, whether they want to or not, whether we actually have time or not

We only get 2 books a week and our guideline is 20 min a day - mixture of them and you reading. We do it at bed time and go to bed a bit earlier to allow time. Sometimes they read lots and sometimes it's more me. But 20 mins ish at 7.30 is fine. I cant do mornings as we leave at 7.30 and we are up at 6.45 but even that's pushed. Mine do tons of after school sports so if they are wiped I just read.

Wow ArtandCo my year 2 daughter would be on her knees with exhaustion with a 9pm bedtime!

We do it at bedtime too and she has lights out by 7.30 latest. It can be tricky to fit in.

Soft - they have never had bedtime before 9pm. They don't have to wake until 8am so get 11hrs.

Mine have been going to bed around 9 for several years, they're 9 and 11, I can't remember a time when they went as early as 7.30, certainly not since starting school, they're all different.