What do you think is more important - that a 5 year old reads a whole school book every night or that she gets half an hour extra sleep every night?

[sandyballs]

My DD's (year 1) are expected to read their whole school reading book every night and then change it the following morning and do the same again, EVERY NIGHT! This didn't seem a problem in reception as the books contained about 5 pages with approx 6 words on each. However, the books are getting longer and longer and last night it took my DD 40 minutes to finish it. I work 3 days a week and don't return home until nearly 7.00pm, which I feel is too late to read for that long. Both DDs are exhausted by then.

So I have only been reading with them at the weekends and the two week days that I don't work, leaving their school/home contact books blank for those days. This seemed to work ok but last night DD was in tears insisting that she had to read the whole book because her teacher had told her off for not reading every day.

Just seems excessive at 5 IMO.

40 mins is too long. Is there anyway you could rejig the day to allow for 10-15 mins on your work days? Maybe someone else could do it - what sort of childcare do you have? Or could you do it in the morning? If not, then definitely sleep wins.

I have gone to the extreme measure of starting work earlier so we have more time in the evenings. Previously I was leaving home at 7.40 and getting home at 6, we wouuld eat, do spellings and reading then it would be nearly 7 which is bathtime here. So I am now leaving home at 7.20 (still hard because I make sure both children are dressed with hair done by then and leave DH to do breakfast and teeth) and getting in at 5.40 which means we have usually eaten and done reading/spellings by 6.30 giving DS a clear 1/2 hour to play/chill (bearing in mind he has already been playing at childminders). I think this has made DS's life better, but I do realise I am lucky to be able to juggle things like this. Also if DH is working away it is not possible.

Personally, if your DD is getting upset about it, I would have a word with the teacher next time you are not working. Could it be that DD has got it wrong?

Thanks for replies, I will speak to the teacher tomorrow. On previous occasions I have put in her book that "O has read to page 7 this evening" or similar and her teacher has told her she should try to finish the book, so I do need to actually speak to the teacher to find out if this is true. I think it probably is as she isn't the type to make these things up.

My in-laws collect my DDs from school on the three days that I work. MIL used to read with them but hasn't lately even though I have asked her to, if possible. Don't like to hassle her too much though.

Something that takes 40 minutes to read cerytainly seems excessive.

Extra sleep!

I was thinking more that there had been a misunderstanding than that your DD had made it up. For instance, does the teacher realise how long it is taking?

Damn, I hope that's not indicative of what lies before DD1.

She's not the brightest light in the harbour, and she LOVES her sleep!

Just today she was telling me, 'I love my bed! It's so comfy and soft.'

She goes down at 8PM and wakes around 10AM.

Is it taking 40 mins because she is too tired to do it at 7pm ? My 6yr old goes to bed at 7pm and is a horror if she's not in bed at 7pm ! She reads brilliantly - but if we do it too late it takes longer and longer....

Could you do a bit over breakfast ?

You must let the teacher know you are having the problem - sleep is definitely more important - but reading is also very important. Maybe you could agree to do say 20 mins reading per day and just see how far you get - rather than her saying you must finish the book iyswim ?

I think the book . If she loves reading then 40 mins is fine ,but if she isnt enjoying it then quarter of an hour is probably plenty.

To be honest ,at age 5 I think its more critical that you read to her ,then that she is forced to do it herself unwillingly

Well I agree that sleep is more important. But who is looking after your child between end of school and 7? I suspect our homework would take that long if we dodn't start until 7, but at 4:30 we just whizz through. Couldn't your cm or whoever supervise her reading on those days?

IIRC there are 32 pages in the level 6 ORT books. I would aim to read to the staples one night and finish the next. This never took us more than 10mins a night.

Is this reading level within her capability? 40mins sounds very excessive for a whole level 6 book. She should be able to read around 90% reasonably fluently and need help with the other 10%, as a rough guide.

I think you also need to say to MIL that she needs to do her reading before tea. Starting at 7pm is doing her no favours, and once she starts to get more homework she needs to be able to fit this into the early evening rather than once you get home.

I suppose though you are only talking about 3 days a week, so she is only cutting back on effectively one whole book a week, by doing half each of those three nights, and then on the days you are at home you can read a whole book and at the weekend the same?

Are you up early enough to get some reading done in the morning?

I certainly would prioritise their sleep at this age, she's only 5 fgs! When you come in I think she deserves some family time, 7pm far too late to be thinking about school IMO.

I do any school work with my ds in the morning; he is a totally different child then, has SO much more energy and interest - he is only 4 and just starting to write letters, he did some absolutely perfect 'M' s the other morning, tried again at 4pm that day and could only manage a scribble - he was just too tired.

I know mornings can be hectic but if you can build in some time - even ten minutes - to read with her she'll be fresher and enjoy it more, I'll bet.

We have been encouraged not to just make them read but to understand what they are reading - they said the children just learned to 'bark at the page' if they were forced to read too long without discussing the book. And that it should take about 20 minutes tops - so some books we read the whole lot, others it's only half a book. And sometimes it's none - if we are very busy. But I always read to them at night, so they enjoy the idea of books and want to be able to read them themselves.

DS took 15 mins to read a 24 page book at 6.10 tonight. Then another 5 mins for his spellings. I timed in on the microwave in light of this thread.

My DS1 is in YR1 and has a different book every day, but is NOT expected to read it all. Sometimes he does, other times we read alternate pages to the end.

ds1 is 4.5 and I couldn't and wouldn't try to get him to concentrate on reading for 40 minutes! Way way too much IMO - there's just no need to push that hard. Sleep at this age is MUCH more important in every way. As is enjoying and looking forward to reading. If it becomes a boring chore now they'll have terrible problems with motivation later, I think.

I'm not that worried about DS finding reading a boring chore since I caught him simulataneously trying to read a book about knights, listen to the accompanying CD and tidy his bedroom (as I had requested). Most of the toys were missing the baskets. Was a slight case of deja vu re me as a child. But this has only been the case in the last few weeks, so earlier it was a valid issue that he might have been put off, and sandyball's DD could well be put off in this way.

Could you phase it your MIL that your DD is getting upset about not doing the reading and see if that spurs MIL on to do it with her?

we went in to talk to dd's teacher the other day because we were struggling so much with reading

she said that you expected a child's concentration limit to be their age plus 2 minutes on average

so how old is your child? 38?

Sleep.

40 minutes is too long for a 5 year old to be reading in one session anyway, imo. Even if you had from 3pm.

Any longer than 20 minutes and concentration and interest starts to wane ime.

Age plus 2 minutes?

No wonder DD's concentration wanes!

I wonder if that formula is professionally recommended?

I would definitely encourage mil to read with her.
What does she usually do with her? What time does dh come home from work? Could he help out?

sleep far more important. Our DS has just turned 6 (in january) and WANTS to read his book every night so that's become our after bath routine usually between 6.30 & 7pm. His books can be 35 pages long now so teacher is happy for him to read the book over 2 nights...and they usually start the book off during the school day too so it's not too difficult. They're also very flexible ie if it takes you a few days then that's fine too...sounds as if your DD teacher is a bit of a dragon especially telling her off too !! They're all developing at different rates, after all, and trying to push them into doing something when you're all tired is going to achieve nothing at all is it ?? Go with what YOU think is right - your her mum - and maybe arrange to see the teacher to discuss the reading situation if it continues...the last thing that you want is for DD to be switched off from it all at the tender age of 5 ....it should be an enjoyment for her NOT an upsetting battlefield & surely the teacher should have the intelligence to recognise this ???

40 minutes seems too long. I think I'd be having a chat with the teacher.

I started a thread about homework the other day. It's not just sleep they need either at 5. I think family time is important too and the school day is long enough.

Sleep. Or anything else actually. She's not at school so she should be able to relax. If hse wants to read her whole book, let her although it's a bit tough on you that she wants to read it all to you.

It sounds like chinese whispers to me - are you sure it's meant to read the whole book. My DD told me the same and she was getting so fed up with it but was afraid not to do what she thought she had been told - I used to take it in turns to read pages with her which made it quicker and easier on her. But when I asked the teacher of course he said that wasn't what he's said! And even if it was, I'm not prepared to let my child get upset/tired/jaded with reading just because the teacher tells me to! Every child is different and needs differnt workloads.

Sorry if i repeat what has already been said, but i haven't read all the posts.

My 5 year old daughter is in year 1 and has to do 10 minutes reading a night.

As do all the children in the school, from reception to year 6.

She gets given 2 books on a monday, with 16 pages in each one (blue level).

Most nights she'll want to read both books and we do this at bedtime. If she's too tired (we don't read), or the book is harder than usual then i only get her to do her 10 mins!

So long as both books are finished by friday when they get changed then it's fine.

If your child is struggling then just speak to the teacher, it might be that they need to change the level of book.