4 Year Old Doesn't Want to Read

I would just let it rest for now. He is 4 which is early so he has plenty of time. It sounds like it has become quite an issue and you don't want to make him have bad feelings towards reading. I have a 7 & 5 year old. The 7 yo can't put a book down and my 5 yo doesn't care for reading quite so much. I just listen to their cues but still have books available for my 5 yo and read to him daily. I really would just not push it - it sounds like they're doing plenty in preschool in that area.

You are so lucky he is already picking up reading skills at such an early age. You might just ask your son why he doesn't want to read at home. It could be a simple fix. But I would not push reading at home if he is not interested. Let him continue to concentrate on it at preschool with his teacher. It sounds like she is devoted and puts time aside for one-on-one reading time with your son. When he has practiced reading a book with his teacher and feels comfortable with the reading and is confident, you may ask the teacher to suggest to your son that he take the book home and read it to Mommy. I taught first grade for 11 years and sometimes kids just need to hear it from the teacher. Another suggestion I always tell parents is to make it a little game with you kids. Maybe when you are reading books before bed you can read the book to your child and point to the words. Assign a word for your child to read in the book. So let's say your reading along and pointing to the words, you get to the word "the" and you stop so the child can read it and then you continue on reading until the next "the" and so on. Then you can build on with more words from there. Good luck! J.

Hi S.,

This is a little late in responding but I just saw your question. The goal is trying to find books that he is intersted in. Every child is different! He is already ahead of the game being this capable at age 4, you don't want to push too hard and you don't want to hold him back either. It is hard to find the right balance as a parent. When I was young, I just wanted to go outside and play while my older brother was inside reading facts about stuff. I find it to be true with my 2 children as well. My mom started getting Usborne books for us to get me interested in books and it worked! She was able to challenge my older brother while getting me to want to jump into the books. So now I am doing the same for my kids.

Usborne reconizes that every child is different and has a book for each personality. There is always something educational in each one whether the child realizes it or not:o) Very sneeky...Just like us moms chopping up the veggies really small:o)

If you would be interested in looking into the books, my website is: www.ubah.com/w2474

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Please let me know if I can help you any further!
S.
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I have an early reader too. I found out he did the exact same thing read at preschool but wouldn't read at home.

So instead I didn't pressure him with reading at home. But instead I asked for his help. When you are at the grocery store ask him read the list for you, just say I need your help can you read what item we need next.
You can do this while driving or walking around the block, ask him to read the next street sign for you.

I would suggest taking him to the library or book store with you and have him pick out books he would like to read. Even if he picks out books that you know will be way to hard for him, let him do it anyway. Either he can "read" the hard books himself or you can read them to him, either way it is a win-win situation. One of the most important things is bombarding him with text and at 4 it really doesn't matter if he's reading it or memorizing it or pretending to read it. Let him be invested in the reading time, it might ease some of his stress. Also make sure he sees you reading too. Maybe even if you institute reading time for 10 minutes a day in your house and you each read your own book(s). I know it might be hard to think about since, as moms, we use every minute possible to get things done around the house, but it's very important for kids to see adults reading too!

I wouldn't pressure him. He will have plenty of time to read and once he is in kindergarten he will read a lot. Most kids can't read when they start kindergarten and that is what they teach in kindergarten so if he gets to far ahead he may be bored once he is in kindergarten. Also, you should make sure he is truly reading and not memorizing the book, a lot of young kids will do this and they have amazing memories. I wouldn't stress, he will willingly read when he is ready.

Hi S.,

I know it is frustrating but some kids (and adults for that matter) just don't like to read even though they can. If you try to force it too much, he'll probably resist even more. Check babycenter.com for advice. Good luck!

S.

Hi S.,
I don't understand what the big deal is if he does or doesn't read. I think that if you force this issue he will not want to do it when it is really needed, like in school. My son is in second grade now and he has to read 1 hour a day. He will have plenty of time to keep reading. I think that if YOU really want him to read to you make it a game, I will read this page - you read that page. Forcing a child to do this will only make it worse for when he gets in school and there is no choice, pick you battles - even on this one. Lok at the bigger picture and what will happen down the road.
My daughter is 4 and knows her colors, numbers, letters, shapes and can even right her name decently but I'm not going to force her to sit at the table and do preschool work if she doesn't want to - it will defeat the purpose. JMHO, W. B.

If you read books to your son as part of his bedtime routine, make sure he doesn't think that you will stop reading to him when he learns to read. Kids' minds work in ways we can't imagine!

S.,

Is there some reason you believe your son should be reading at age 4? I am a homeschooling mom of 8 and there was a great difference in the ages of my 3 boys when they first "took off" reading. They ranged from 5 years old to almost 9 years old. By the time they were all in the upper grades, there was no difference in their reading abilities or their intelligence level. Interestingly, the boy who started reading the earliest (without any pressure, I might add,) does not enjoy reading like the 2 who started at age 8 and almost 9. Reading is a wonderful thing, but it is NOT a necessary thing at age 4. The point of reading is for enjoyment and to learn about this wonderful world we live in, and those objectives can be accomplished by reading to your young child with no pressure for him to "perform" by reading on his own. Do not damage his desire to learn by pressuring him to do something he is not really emotionally ready for, even if he is cognitively ready for it. Enjoy him as the young child he is. He will grow up fast enough, I guarantee it!

Blessings,

C.

That is great that your 4 year old is advanced, but by forcing him to read this will make him dislike reading which is supposed to be fun. Let him be a 4 year old and when he is ready to read to you, he will. I would back off or risk alienating him. He is only 4 and most 4 year olds don't even know all their letters yet so give him a break...PLEASE!

according to my child's preschool teacher, age 4 is pretty early for reading. for example my child was reading 3 letter years by sounding out mid year and she told me this was very early. then all of a sudden my daughter didn't do it anymore. I gave it a rest. I figure kindergarten is going to all over this stuff. my opinion? if he has some basics down and is on track to be ready for K-garten, the MOST IMPORANT thing is he enjoys reading and he is not scared off by being told to read for homework. I mean this with all due respect and appreciation for how committed you are to your son! :-)