He won't let me read to him.

[fuzzycat]

I have a 28 month old DS and he won't let me read to him. We have a ton of books around and he loves to look through them, but when I try to read the text on the page he not interested in listening. He just wants to turn the pages and go through as fast as possible or to point out a certain thing on the page (like finding the mouse in Goodnight Moon). If I try to slow him down or force the issue he gets really bent so I let him do his own thing. Is this unique to him or just a phase he's going through? How do I get him interested? I always had visions of him cuddling in my lap while I read book after book to him and that just isn't happening and it's making me a little sad (not to mention I know it's good for him to be read to).
FC

[firecat]

It's definitely possible it's just a phase. I know my ds (2.5) will do the same thing sometimes, he just wants to keep turning pages. I turn the page back and tell him I can't read the words if he turns the page over! Usually I can get through the book, but if he insists on doing it I will stop reading the book and leave him alone with it.

Sometimes I will just start reading a book out loud while he is playing with some other toys and he will just listen/play while I read. You could try that I guess.
There are also books with no words you could try, and just make up a story about what is going on as you go. Then you could spend as much or as little time on a page as you want. And he could point out things/ look for things.
Have you tried doing a storytime at your library? My ds can't sit through the whole thing (30min) but he will do the first couple books before he gets too squirmy/noisy and we have to leave.

I also think it is ok for him to do what you say he's doing and just look through books on his own. I wouldn't force the issue either, if he doesn't want actually read a book I wouldn't make him. I think if you are providing an atmosphere with lots of reading materials and reading yourself in front of him, he will eventually get it

[K1329]

My dd loved to be read to, starting with board books at an early age. Then along came ds... he's 3.5 and still won't sit still for a book! Different personality - he's more energetic and simply isn't interested in sitting still for a book. As far as I can tell, there's not much to be done about it! I figure as he gets older he'll develop the abillity to sit still and might enjoy books at that time. But, for now, I've just had to let it go.

I have had some success not reading the actual words (much too boring!) but talking about the pictures in a fast-paced, interesting way. "Do you see the BIG dinosaur?!?" But, I'm more like dd, and find performing a book just a little too difficult! LOL

[marisa724]

He may just be too young to sit still for a "real" story at this age. My DS2 is the same age and I can maybe get four good pages out of him -- and that's if they're one sentence or so each.

However, it's very developmentally appropriate to want to turn pages and look at pictures, and he's becoming "book smart" even if he's not ready for the full-on story experience.

Within the next year or so he'll get more into it and then you will be dreaming of the chance to take a break from reading stories!

[Magali]

Don't worry. IME, when they will get interested in things in thier own time. When my ds was an infant we would read books. But seriously, I haven't read to him in a looooong time. Because he doesn't want me to. I stressed about it at first because isn't that something that "good moms" do...read to their kids everyday? But just in this past week he has taken a real interest in his books and we have been reading .

[crunchy_mommy]

I don't know, my DS has the opposite problem & will sit and be read to all day long, it kind of drives me nuts sometimes!

Perhaps instead of reading you can pick up on his cues -- "OH yes there's a mouse, what does the mouse say? Do you think he's going to crawl in that hole?" and kind of make up your own stories together for each page. We do this when I get bored with reading the text. Also, you can just read to him while he's playing. He will hear & listen but won't have to sit still. I have seen from story hours when DS was too distracted to sit & listen that they DO still get a TON out of being read to, even if they're not looking at the book & don't seem to be paying attention. Even at 14mos or so, DS would make references to the books we read the day before at the library, and I truly thought he hadn't paid any attention. So maybe while he's playing with his cars (or whatever he loves), you can read him a story about cars. And if he seems interested, turn the book around and point out a picture or two.

And I do think it's normal to go through stages of not being interested, especially if they want to be outside running around or something. Are you trying to pick a really calm, quiet part of the day to read to him (for my DS this is usually right when he wakes up in the morning, though I think many kids would do better right before bed).

ETA: One more thing, DS used to only be interested in stories he'd already heard. So I used to read the whole book through really quickly once or twice & then it was 'familiar' to him and he was happy to sit through the whole thing. OH and he also often prefers rhythmic stories (The Boy With the Drum, Dr. Seuss ABCs, nursery rhymes) rather than narratives. I also recite his favorite stories at night when he's trying to fall asleep, or we make up stories together.

[sapphire_chan]

Phase.

DD started it around a year old, started to come out of it around 19 months, and now agrees to being read to about 3 of 5 times I offer.

With DD, the turning point was actually watching a Reading Rainbow dvd from the library. : Go figure, she watched the TV read a book and then she was cool with me reading to her. It might've been coincidence, but it was literally one night she wasn't letting me read to her and the next day she watched the DVD and let me read to her after that.

[tangledblue]

OK, my DD is younger so I don't know yet, but sounds like a phase. Is this true with every book, or just the ones he's used to? Maybe try a different kind of book to pique his curiosity. My DD got really interested in Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle when I was reading it to her cousin, even though I would have thought it was a little advanced. Or ask him opinion questions, like, "what would you do if you were the dinosaur?" etc. It could also be an independence thing. If you think that's it, maybe just offer him a book once a day so that he knows it's still an option, but back off if he resists.

[caenach]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

Perhaps instead of reading you can pick up on his cues -- "OH yes there's a mouse, what does the mouse say? Do you think he's going to crawl in that hole?" and kind of make up your own stories together for each page.

I think that's a great suggestion! Even though DD LOVES to read books (and will usually want to read each book about 4 times in a row), I still often do this, especially with more advanced books with a lot of "story" on each page. Making it slightly interactive--talking to DD about what she sees on the page (what is the mouse doing? do you see a red flower? what do you think the mouse will do next?) seems to be a lot of fun for DD, keeps her invested in what's going on, and I think begins to teach the rudiments of story-telling/development to DD. Of course, we also have times where I just read to her, often whatever I'm reading, but that's a different kind of thing.

[Neera]

I had the exact same issue. Dd didn't really understand the concept. She never sat still for story time even at her toddler prog. She just didn't get it and it was right around 28 mo when an older cousin handed her down some books. Suddenly, she was letting me read to her and soon started having tantrums if we didnt' read or finish her selection of books at bed time. But, somehow we have just got stuck to reading at bed time. I think also letting him watch other kids listening to a story, maybe an older kid you could read to, might make him understand the idea of reading to him. YouTube is also a great help. Videos help dd understand concepts or alleviate fears (e.g. baths, brushing teeth etc).

[Lilypie32]

I never expected my son to sit and listen as I read to him. I would read to him as he was playing or even when he was in the bath tub. Keep on reading to him! He is hearing you even if you don't think he is.