Reading ever night

[hillymum]

Is this normal? I have 2 children in school, one in 2nd grade and one in 3rd. Both need to read Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. My eldest for 15 minutes and my younger son for 20 minutes. We are going to run out of books really quickly and can not keep buying books, but also are going to be tight with time to go to the library every week to get 4 new books each every week. How are you dealing with this? Does your school provide the book they want the child to read? This is what they did ant my sons old school. I am getting really stressed by all the homework they have and then having to get them to sit down and read to me. My eldest also has to do a thing called text to text or text to life report each week which just drives me nuts. Honestly, we spend most of our evenings doing homework. I am really resenting both their teachers.
Someone tell me if I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, please!

[mojomom]

Yes since 1st grade my kids homework has been to read every night. In 3rd grade dd had to keep a reading journal.
My kids have favorite books they don't mind rereading a few times. I quess I never gave thought to us running out.
Also we do by books at garage sales and here and there to add. The scholastic books at their scool are reasonable and they get flyers for that every month.
They have a library at school wher they check out a book or two a week and read that a few times during the week.

One year we did a big book swap with all our friends during a playgroup thing. That worked out well too.

I understand the homework thing, it does at times get to be a little much. my youngest just started 1st grade so I know we will have our evening filled with homework. I feel for you.

[Thalia the Muse]

I can't imagine running out of books --we have a ton! I buy big lots on eBay (some to donate to her classroom, and some to keep), we have my books from when I was a kid, and I buy a lot at thrift stores and used book stores and Scholastic fliers and Amazon ... I don't have a lot of impulse control about children's books. She got free books from the library and Barnes & Noble for completing the summer reading program, and we often get books as gifts.

My daughter brings home a book a week from the school library, we go to the public library every two or three weeks and check out 13 books or so, and her classroom has books the kids can borrow. I worry more that we have too many books and she's overwhelmed by the options, than I do about running out!

Does your library only let you check out four books at a time? If not, why not go every two or three weeks instead of every week? Between your card and your two children's, you could check out a monstrous stack of books!

[jennlyn]

Yes, that is typical. Anywhere from 15 min. to 1/2 hour nightly. If your child is a good reader, they usually don't require them to read aloud to you. Most teachers have a classroom library and there is a school library as well. I don't know about your public library, but ours allows you to check out a large number of books at one time and they aren't due back for three weeks.

[Chinese Pistache]

That sounds pretty normal. Do they have to read the entire time or can you read to them for part of it? If you can read for part of it, you could doing something like Chronicles of Narnia, Little House, Harry Potter, or some other book you think is appropriate for your kids.

We get tons of books when we go to the library, so we can last a couple of weeks. Also, we reread the books several times. It helps with reinforcing new words.

[muse]

DS has only done 4 days of K and already has "homework" to read or be read to for 10 mins every night. I'm already irked by it, since we read all the time. I hate having to check a box for the teacher every night. He's 5 yrs old...And I know it's all about getting them (and me) ready for "real homework" in 1st grade....

[hillymum]

I don't actually mind the reading, they both read to me for their required time, then atr bed time I read to them, but his teacher has made it clear we are not to read the same book twice. I am more annoyed at having to come up with new books and these text to text or text to life reports my eldest has to write. Even I struggle to come up with links between life and a Pokemon book lol. Reading is something we nurture in my family, but my eldest is begining to be put off. I am worried about getting a huge stack of books from the library in case we loose one or two in our ciollection. I dread having to hunt down specific books lol. I guess I will have to get over that!

[jplain]

Originally Posted by hillymum

I don't actually mind the reading, they both read to me for their required time, then at bed time I read to them, but his teacher has made it clear we are not to read the same book twice.

Hmmm...that would bother me too. I wonder if you could come up with something to give the teacher to read about how re-reading material leads to mastery.

My understanding is that oral fluency is developed through lots of practice. If your children don't have a chance to read a book aloud more than once, you'll have to choose material that isn't as challenging. On the other hand, if they're going to revisit the material more than once, you can choose something that will really stretch their abilities. They'll have the satisfaction of seeing their skills grow as they recall how much more difficult the book was the first time they read it.

[1xmom]

Wow, my dd and I have always read and have no problem reading every night, but the whole concept your talking about just seems so stressful to me. Even though we do the Reading Club and we definately read at least 10 books over the summer, but the documenting of all the books we read can make it seem more like a chore than enjoyment.

[ecoteat]

That is very normal. When I have told my third and fourth graders to read at home, I don't assign or provide books (that's for in-class reading). Kids can borrow books from the classroom library, and most of them read chapter books with their parents. Does the teacher mind if you read to them? Maybe you could get a book they both would enjoy and read it together, taking turns reading aloud.

[bdavis337]

My son is in 1st, he's supposed to read every night for 15 minutes as well, but we don't always do it, and I don't worry about it at all. His teacher sends home books we can read, so we're not limited to our home library collection.

[Mary]

Originally Posted by 1xmom

but the documenting of all the books we read can make it seem more like a chore than enjoyment.

ITA. We read probably more than the expected amount of reading, but I find that having to log it all the time makes it seem more like something we have to do rather than something that we just do. I try to just keep track of it myself without getting my son involved in how long he read. In fact, I usually just write 20 minutes down even though he probably read for longer. I just hate watching the clock.

Suggestion to the OP: Depending on your child's reading level, check out some early chapter books and read a chapter or two per day this way you don't have to have a huge pile of books. FWIW, we usually have 35+ books checked out at any given time. I keep a basket in the living room where the library books go.

[UUMom]

I remember my older kids having a notebook that went back & forth from school to home. We could leave notes for the teacher, and the teacher would leave notes for us. Things like "N is really loving _______ and he loves to talk about plot twists". I don't recall (and my memory is bad) having to write down specific numbers of minutes we read, but we could record whatever it was we were reading...I don't remember it being a burden, whatever it was. I loved the teachers notes, and I remember writing things like "We had company until late last night, so C might be slow moving today". Stuff like that. The teacher didn't write something each day, and niether did we. If just felt like a form of communication.

We read about an hour at night, mostly more, so ten or 15 minutes wouldn't have been a concern to me. I also think letting the teacher know what the child is reading is more about sharing info than giving the parent homework. Anyway, that's what it felt like for us when we did school in the early grades. It felt like a sharing, not an assignment.

[LookMommy!]

Wow, i Love to read (and I read at 4, and am a super fast reader), but I would hate to HAVE to read.

I second the notion of chapter books - keep 'em busy for a while.

Can they read to each other instead of to you?

Can they read to a baby or grandma or the dog?

Is there a library at their school that they can go to on their recess?

Can you just lie?

I think that "required" reading is highly overrated.

My dd is in 1st grade - today they learned the sounds/letters M, and Ma. Well, she is way beyond that, but she doesn't seem to mind the repetition. They don't do real academics until 1st grade here, but Hebrew is highly phonetic so pretty much everyone can read by Hannukah, and write print and script by Passover.

My dd learned in 3rd grade (when they got stars for each book) to pick short and easy books - why make an effort (in Hebrew)? She learned English on her own, and is a bookworm!

My son didn't read English until he was 9, and now at 11, we have to insist he stops reading to go to sleep!

[Zach'smom]

I think it is great that they read every night for 20 minutes. Ds is 5 and reading. He reads to me and I read to him during the day. At night my dh and I take turns reding to him for 30 to 40 minutes before bed.

Reading is the kind of homework I agree with!!!!! It is fun and entertaining. And reading is a skill that needs to be practiced.

Get a large bin or basket to keep in a central location in your house. When you come back from the library with all of your wonderful books immediately place them in the library basket. That way they have a "home". Have your children put the book they are reading back in the basket before they select a new one. I have been doing this with DS since he was 2. We have never lost a book. We regularly have 30 plus books out at a time. Ds will spend hours sitting in his reading chair (next to the basket) enjoying his library books.

[Mizelenius]

Originally Posted by hillymum

I don't actually mind the reading, they both read to me for their required time, then atr bed time I read to them, but his teacher has made it clear we are not to read the same book twice.

This is ridiculous. Not read the same book twice? She should be encouraging reading a book repeatedly, until the child loses interest.

I credit our reading DD the same books over and over again (at her request) with her ability to read by the time she was 4.

We do have a lot of books, but I sympathize with the $ aspect. Even on e-bay, it adds up . . .esp. since you can't re-read a book.

Print out this page for her:
http://www.alief.isd.tenet.edu/Smith...y/READBROC.pdf

[Houdini]

Originally Posted by hillymum

Is this normal? I have 2 children in school, one in 2nd grade and one in 3rd. Both need to read Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. My eldest for 15 minutes and my younger son for 20 minutes. We are going to run out of books really quickly and can not keep buying books, but also are going to be tight with time to go to the library every week to get 4 new books each every week. How are you dealing with this? Does your school provide the book they want the child to read? This is what they did ant my sons old school. I am getting really stressed by all the homework they have and then having to get them to sit down and read to me. My eldest also has to do a thing called text to text or text to life report each week which just drives me nuts. Honestly, we spend most of our evenings doing homework. I am really resenting both their teachers.
Someone tell me if I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, please!

My kids have always read every night, but that's a house rule for us. Our crew are required to read for 10-20 minutes (depending on their age) during the day and then two of the four typically read at bedtime as well for anywhere between 20 minutes (middle son) and two hours (oldest son).

My middle son and my daughter are required to read 20 minutes every night for school, but they aren't required to read to me. They can read on their own. I would check into the teacher's requirements, they may be able to read on their own. My kids typically read at bedtime.

If they are going through books quickly, I would step up to chapter books or more difficult books b/c they don't sound challenged if they are reading them quickly.

My middle son was a very reluctant reader when it came to chapter books until he discovered The Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo. He loves these books and has branched off from there to other chapter books.

My crew are welcome to get books from the classroom or school library for reading as well.

[Houdini]

Originally Posted by muse

DS has only done 4 days of K and already has "homework" to read or be read to for 10 mins every night. I'm already irked by it, since we read all the time. I hate having to check a box for the teacher every night. He's 5 yrs old...And I know it's all about getting them (and me) ready for "real homework" in 1st grade....

Honestly...I wonder if it is more to get the parents' who aren't involved on their own to become involved with thier child. I know some parents who only read with their child b/c it is assigned through school.

What I dislike is punishing them if they don't have the log marked and signed by the parent b/c the parent refuses to do the reading with them...not fair to the kids IMO.

[Shonahsmom]

When my dd's first grade teacher (who is also now her 2nd grade teacher) sent a reading log home requiring 15 minutes a night, I told him that we already read 30-60 minutes every night since dd was born and that she loves it and that I felt that keeping tabs on it like that might change that. He told me it was more than evident that she was read to everyday based on her reading skills and that the log was really to help make it a habit for kids/parents for whom it wasn't already a habit and that we could just skip it. So we do. Maybe approach the teachers and ask for a compromise of some sort. Some teachers are willing to individualize homework.

As far as running out of books, we got to the public library about once a month, dd goes to the school library once a week and we ask for books as gifts at b-day and holiday times. We occassionally buy a couple of chapter book paper backs, for $3-6 a piece. I read to dd every night and then she reads in bed for another 30-60 minutes on her own and we have never run out of books.

[1xmom]

Originally Posted by Mary

Suggestion to the OP: Depending on your child's reading level, check out some early chapter books and read a chapter or two per day this way you don't have to have a huge pile of books. FWIW, we usually have 35+ books checked out at any given time. I keep a basket in the living room where the library books go.

Also, when dd was in K, we were reading chapter books together and when I talked to her teacher about it, she told me to just count a chapter or two as one book.

We check out alot of books at our local library as well. What's nice is that I can go online and review my account to double check what books I have, and even renew them online. It works out great. One time I thought I lost a book and renewed it online and I ended up finding it a day or two later, but I didn't get a fine for it being late