DD won't let me read to her :(

[physmom]

Every since I can remember DD loved books. She used to sit for an hour or more and let me read various book to her. Lately, though, she just doesn't have the patience for it. It's mostly started since she started walking. We'll get through a couple of pages (if there are not many words on the page) or she'll flip through the entire book but not let me read much on each page before she turns the page.

However, she'll sit for a long time looking through books herself. If I try and go over and read to her at those times she does basically the same thing as I said above but on her own she'll stare at the same page for awhile. Maybe a couple of times per day she'll point at me and then the books and will want me to read to her. Those time will be a little better but still she'll almost always go through the book in a non-linear order (constantly flipping back and forth between pages or reading it backwards). She's really interested in reading and is constantly pointing at signs for me to read to her but she seems to have lost her patience for being read to. Is this just a phase? If anybody else has experienced it how long did it last for? I really miss reading to her...

[shanniesue2]

DS used to do that all the time. Still does sometimes. What I started doing was reading whatever page he turned to. Or just talking about what was in the picture on that page. And then just go with it when he flipped to a different page. I think that exploring books is part of learning to be a reader. Sometimes that exploration happens out of order. No big deal. Just go with it.

[Cujobunny]

Yes i agree, don't worry about reading the book in order to her. It sounds like she's familiarizing herself with the books and trying to understand them in her own way.

My dd LOVES books, and she does love being read to but a lot of times she will tell me NO - I want to read it to you! And wont let me read at all. And I will often find her sitting alone with a book spread out on her lap, telling herself a story about what the pictures are doing.

I think it's great to support a love of books, and as long as you let her check them out in her own way and not make it an unenjoyable experience for her, she will in no time discover there are words on the page! And be curious about what the words actually say. And then she'll memorize them and "readi" them to you over and over and over......

[Picard]

DS has followed me reading a story once in his life. He is very much into picture books and can look at them forever. So, we stocked up on old geography/nature books and the like and we name whatever he sees on the photo's. I'm not concerned at all that he does not follow a story line. It will come. Personally, I actually do not focus too much on reading with him. I would much rather that he play outside, etc.

[mamachandi]

keep offering (not in a pestering way give her time and space right now) but dont give up- in time she will like it again-they go thru fazes

[physmom]

Thanks for the support. How long did this phase run for everybody else?

Like you guys said we're just following her lead whether that means we just read the first and last page of the book but I guess I still yearn for the days when we can sit down and really read together (it doesn't have to be War and Peace but it would be nice to get through Goodnight Moon at least ). I have some great memories of my dad and I reading together growing up. I think I need a lesson in patience, though.

[Materfamilias]

My DD is seriously book obsessed. She loves being read to but there are times she does what you're describing. Just let her lead and enjoy the book as she wants to. Instead of reading what's on the page, maybe talk about what's on the page, make the sounds, whatever. If she walks away while you're in the middle of reading, keep going. She can enjoy the book without necessarily looking at it, especially if it rhymes like Goodnight Moon.
I think the worst thing you could do is to let her see your frustration with her behavior or to make her sit while you read.

[Materfamilias]

Addendum!
Be really animated when you read. If it's fun she'll want you to read more.

[Girlprof]

Definitely a phase! it will last different lengths of time for different kids. If she just learned how to walk, that is a REALLY interesting thing right now!

[Down2Earth]

My DD loves books, too. We taught her how to sign "read" and "book" and now she won't stop asking us to read.

But she has gone through phases, too. The times when she hasn't been as interested to get through a whole book, I let her decide when we stop reading. If she wants to flip through pages, I read her a different book at the same time. We also bought a lot of "early reader" books. She like the real pages instead of board books and since the stories are longer I don't get as bored.

Some favorites here are all of the Biscuit books. She loves it when Biscuit won't go to bed or take a bath or goes to school.

[mbm]

DD totally does that. There are a few favorite books that she will sit patiently through. But usually she hands me a book to read, and I start, and she is bored on page 1 and goes to get another book. She repeats that until she finds a book she likes!

I've tried putting the second book aside and telling her, "We're reading this one now," but she's usually very insistent that she wants a new book.