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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

When do you read with your children?

24 replies

SingleMum01 · 28/12/2009 20:04

We usually do our school reading at bedtime, then I read to my DS before he settles down. its getting almost a battle ground as he really doesn't want to be reading then, guess he's too tired and he's a reluctant reader at the best of times. Not that he can't read, he just doesn't see the point.

I've invested in some nicer books that school books but that still hasn't helped. I've promised when they go back to school we'll go to the library and he can choose his own, I'm hoping that will encourage him.

When he comes home from afterschool/school he's also tired. Do people try and get the reading done after t?

I really need to change our routine as it isn't working as it is.

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Rainbowinthesky · 28/12/2009 20:06

No choice but to do it at bedtime as not home till late.

LIZS · 28/12/2009 20:08

I just used to squeeze it in. If we were waiting anywhere (often had to drop/collect ds at a different time), while tea was cooking or bath running.

AnInginAneAnA · 28/12/2009 20:11

As soon as ds gets out of school (30 minute wait in the playground for dd), then at home after tea/ or just when we get home.

AnInginAneAnA · 28/12/2009 20:13

Bedtime reading involves myself or dh reading to ds - ds might read the odd word, or phrase, here and there.

redskyatnight · 28/12/2009 20:16

We used to do school reading at bedtime but like you found DS was too tired by then. Now we do it so that after we get home we have a drink and a snack and then he gets 30 minutes to do whatever he wants as a wind down from school. After that we do school reading.

Clary · 28/12/2009 20:17

Best time IMVHO is in the morning.

We have to leave for school at 20 to 9. If we are all ready at 8.30 (not impossible let's face it) that leaves 10 mins for someone to read.

ATM both me and DH are usually in at that time so there's time for 2, bright-eyed and busy tailed.

Clary · 28/12/2009 20:17

sorry that's bushy-tailed

plumpud · 28/12/2009 20:22

school books are read soon as they get in, changed, snacked and watered.

but lets face it school books aren't exaclty the most riviting read really.

We read to the dc's, they also have a nice selection of audoi books to choose from. They also happily read the more interesting ( to them) books at home.

I think the big thing ( and I'm speaking as a parent with 2 dc's with Dyslexia, one of whom has other processing issues etc etc).. to share a love for literature, and they generally will go along with it tbh.

Many games, IT things and general stuff about the home all have readinh involved , and i think you'll be suprised how much your dc does acually read.

cat64 · 28/12/2009 20:24

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justaboutisfatandtired · 28/12/2009 20:29

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CornflakeMum · 28/12/2009 20:35

DS2 (7) does his reading to us when he comes home from school - after a quick drink/snack. We call it his 'homework' and that fits in because DS1 (10) is doing his (more significant!) homework at the same time. We then save bedtime reading for dh/I to read to them.
If for any reason we haven't done much 'school' reading (e.g. like now, in the holidays) then I try to persuade DS2 to read the first paragraph of every page of something. But he's very reluctant, and still won't pick up a book an read for enjoyment's sake. This is tough for us to come to terms with, as DH, DS1 and I are all avid readers!

Given DS doesn't 'read' much himself I try to 'augment' things by getting audio books from the library, and classic film DVDs (e.g. Narnia etc).

Original poster

SingleMum01 · 28/12/2009 20:36

Thanks all, how long do you listen to them read for - sounds like 10 mins or so a day. Maybe I'm stressing too much and asking too much of him.

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Clary · 28/12/2009 20:53

yeah 10 mins a day absolute max I reckon.

Of course read to them for as long as you and they like!

Bonsoir · 28/12/2009 20:57

At bedtime we always read one story in English and one in French (the book DD brings home from school, but it is a story book and not usually too dire). And then we do reading at random times throughout the week and especially on Wednesdays (a day off in France) and at the weekend. Right now I am in bed on the laptop, DP is in the bath and DD is next to me looking at a book which I will read her in a minute.

fridayschild · 28/12/2009 21:09

We hear Ds1 read while he is eating his breakfast - he's too tired or bored after school. We do 6 pages of the school book because he is 6 years old, but if it's a battle we don't push it.

At bed time we read to him.

How old is your boy, OP?

pedaltothemetal · 28/12/2009 21:14

Best time for the kids to read school books has changed from directly after school to just before bed, then to after breakfast and back to directly after school.

I think in the first few years at school you need to watch out for your child's energy levels and work with them - they change through the terms.
My dc's still get read to before bed and they read their own book for 15mins before sleep; so if they are too knackered or we are too busy after school to read the boring school reading scheme book - I just make a note in their reading diary that they read their own book - the aim is after all to encourage reading not to be a slave to a reading scheme.

Original poster

SingleMum01 · 28/12/2009 22:42

My DS is in year 2, just 7. He can read quite well I think, I don't have any concerns, its just he doesn't want to! I know I shouldn't conmpare but his friends are enjoying reading proper reading books according to their mums. My DS isn't interested, still likes pictures in his book. Whilst I'm not concerned about what his friends are doing I just don't want him to fall behind when he was in front.

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havoc · 28/12/2009 23:58

I'd take what the other mums say with a pinch of salt - many, many 7 year olds find reading dull.

And why wouldn't he like pictures, I think its a shame that more 'proper' book don't have better illustrations, it might keep children interested in reading.

Original poster

SingleMum01 · 29/12/2009 19:35

Success we did our reading in the morning. He came to me willingly and we set a 10 minute timer and he read lovely. So pleased with him. Not sure what will happen when we're back at work/school next week!

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juliemacc · 29/12/2009 20:07

I have absolutely no chance on Gods earth of getting mine to do homework when they come through the door, and to be honest i dont blame them; 30 minutes of telly and snacks and then we "get busy"; this is all very well but throw into the equation a 1 year old and I have to be regimented eg. shouting out spellings for a yr4 and a yr1 whilst I am cooking tea, listening to one read whilst the other swims and vice versa, and thank heavens for rainbows and brownies as this gives me time with one whilst juggling the toddler; having said all that the homework always gets done and DCs are doing very well. If you csn photocopy the homework plan for the term and do as much as you can, at the very least reading at weekends, and dont waste a minute. Right, wheres my wine gone...

duckyfuzz · 29/12/2009 20:14

just before or after tea usually, not every night for school reading, too borign

gallery · 29/12/2009 20:21

there is some good advice on her- I like the one about changing reading times based on your child's energy levels. I can't imagine my son being awake enough in the morning to do reading (he goes off to CM for 745) but maybe this will change as he gets bigger. At the moment, we aim to read with him 3 nights a week and one at weekend. We do 10mins and usually it is straight after bath when he is fresher. We think he concentrates hard at school and find he is bored doing the reading book with us. He has got his own books to read but he is usually not interested. Saying that, he got some hard reading books out of the library so we think he needs more mental stimulation over holiday and is missing rigour of school. I find it hard fitting in reading in the evening- even though it is just 10mins

CornflakeMum · 30/12/2009 22:35

The other thing which I realised with DS2 is that 'reading' doesn't always have to be 'sitting down next to one another, watching every word' (which is quite full on....)
With DS2 I sometimes say 'you read me a story...' (while I finish the ironing/ peel the potatoes/ etc). You can mostly work out what a word is if they are struggling, or get them to spell it out to you (which is good practice anyway).

Ds2 always preferred this less direct method as he actually felt like he was 'reading to me' like I read to him in the evening?

MollieO · 30/12/2009 22:40

Ds (5) is a very reluctant reader. We used to do his reading at bedtime but it was becoming a battle. Now we do it whilst running the bath (takes a while as have an old combi boiler). The incentive is the quicker ds does his reading the more time he has to play in the bath.

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