My Child Does Not like to Read!!! Help!

Hi! Have you tried books on CD's or DVD's? If not, look for them at bookstores or read a book yourself and record it on cassette tapes. Also, there are videos that comes with a book for children to read as they watch the video.

While you are reading to your oldest child (or maybe the child is old enough to read), record their voice. Maybe this may highten the youngest child's interest in listening to her own voice as she reads. Another option would be to video tape yourself, a family member, or oldest child reading, and play it back on the tv, ie.,DVD player.

Don't be worried about your child not wanting to read at this stage. Many adults have been sucessful in life but will also admit that they dislike reading. Look for other options.

I hope that one of these suggestions work for your child and you.

A mom & educator,
M.

All children in the same family are not alike. A 23 month old may not be old enough yet. Perhaps you could try other interests for her. She is not "bad"...she is not a trouble maker; she is just interested in other things than her older sibling. Try to spend some time trying to find out what she likes to do. It may take you some time to figure out since she is just 2, but I think it would be time well spent. Perhaps she will like sports. Gymnastics or dance might be an option.

Reading with a child that age may mean something different than you imagine. Their attention spans are short - especially for a passive task such as sitting and listening.

Here's a suggestion: Sit with her and look at the pictures on each page and point and ask her questions! You don't have to read a single word, just look and involve her. ("Oh, look at the girl! What color dress is that?" "Where do you think she's going?" "Uh-oh, she sees a dragon! What sound does a dragon make?" "How would you feel if you saw a dragon?" etc....)
Don't feel bad if this is all the story time you two do for many months. Eventually, she'll be able to move up to a line per page (but she'll still want to talk to you about it!), and then maybe half the story, and so on.

This will actually strengthen her reading skills over time as she'll learn that stories are meant to be interactive and that she's supposed to be processing information and forming questions while reading = BETTER COMPREHENSION when she's in school! :)

Also, pick out stories that are very predictable and repetitive. The rhythmic style captivates their little ears and you'll get more focus from them. Some good books are:
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie (there are also more of this variety)
Hi, Pizza Man! (This one is so silly - but we just love it!)
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
In a People House
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Just look for stories that repeat events, but different scenarios, characters, etc. that she can easily predict what'll happen next - even if its silly!

My 6th child was born into a family of 7 avid readers, and he didn't want to sit still to be read to, either. One thing I did was make every book (that I read to just him) into an action book. We yelled and cheered and pointed and did whatever the characters in the book were doing. If I was reading a longer book with no pictures to all the older children, it was a different matter. I had always had the youngest child snuggled close to me as I read, but I let this child play quietly in the room while we read, as long as he did play quietly. If not, he had to go to his crib while we read. It's amazing how responsive even very young children are, because I only had to do this a total of probably 10 times, and I read our chapter book every day. Today he is 11, and while his reading interests are still quite narrow, he will tackle a book of any length, Brian Jacques being his favorite author.
As a side note, it is totally normal for a 23-month-old to get into things - she sounds very much like a "kinesthetic" learner who learns best by touching and doing. I remember babysitting my very obedient nephew when he was a toddler - he always obeyed when I told him to stop playing with the lamp cord, chasing the cat, etc., but would go directly and find something else to get into! It's very wearing on Mom, but try to separate being naughty from being curious. If she goes right back to what you firmly told her to stay out of, that's naughty and and needs correction and redirection. But if she just drives you crazy because of getting into things you never imagined a child would get into (climb the refrigerator to see what's up there, anyone?), that's normal and just needs constant supervision and tons and tons of patience. While I didn't have any kids as curious as my nephew, what I did when they were in stages like that was to restrict their freedom if I couldn't be right there with them, and then at other times as one other mom suggested, I "got into things" with them and did lots of teaching about what they could touch and couldn't. Each time I put them in their safe place, whether it was the crib or a playpen or made them stay in the same room with me, I told them that when they learned how to play just with their own things (i.e. safely), I would let them have more freedom. The duration of the stage is proportionate to the persistence of the child! Blessings.

IT seems to me that my girls went through something like that. I finally figured out that 1) they were watching too much TV 2) They were developing in other areas and just weren't interested in that at the time. later they found they liked books again, but there are days....like when we went to reading time at the library and they refused to sit down!

Have you seen Word Wold on PBS? That has helped my girls understand the concept of reading and 'building words' and that really boosted their desire to read books!

Just keep trying, and don't be forceful or pushy- that will create anxiety and more dislike for reading.

S., mom to four girls ages 5,4,2,1

Have you had her vision checked?

My eldest is an avid and early reader. Her little brother, only 20 months younger, always had significantly less interest in books, coloring, drawing...any up-close work. Turns out he has terrible astigmatisims. Since his glasses, at age 3, he's shown considerable more interest in all things up-close and has made wonderful progress with learing alphabet, coloring, drawing, even reading.

I have four children ages 27, 25, 22 and 11. The three older ones are all boys and my youngest is a girl. My now 25 year old was the exact same as you describe in your request. He didn't like to read or even have me read too much to him in his younger years. He got into everything, including sticking a fork so far into an outlet that I had to use rubber handled pliers to pry it out. (he only did that once, the shock took care of any punishment I could have delivered). Toys were his favorite thing to take apart, but he did it so well that I never could put anything back together again.
However, He grew up to be my brightest and smartest one of all of my boys. He's 1-1/2 years from getting a master's degree and has served in the Navy for more than seven years. On every TAAS test in school, he always scored within the top 10% in the country of those children his same age.
So, there is hope for your youngster. If you could find something that would not only require her to use her hands, but where she would also have to follow some direction, that might get her interested in at least reading a little. I wouldn't push her too hard right now.
All four of mine are completely different in their interests, their needs, the way they had to be corrected, eating habits, etc. Remember that your daughter is her own person and completely independent of her older sister.
Sometimes as parents, we just have to "go with the flow". Everything always works out in the end.

My youngest daughter who is now 14, was like that too. She would only sit still for her Barney videos, because she was active and loved getting into things. I just kept trying to read to her. As she got older and matured, she started loving books, especially when she could read herself. Now, I am constantly getting onto her to put her books up so she can do her chores or homework!

Every child is different and some may never like to read, but you shouldn't give up trying different ways to incorporate reading into their lives. Maybe you can bring her to the library so she can pick out her own books. Some librarys even have story time that makes reading interesting. At our local library, the woman who reads to the children is very animated and she can keep a child's attention better than anyone I know.

Also, you could try reading to her at nap time or bedtime when she might be still long enough for you to read to her. I hope one of these ideas help you! Good luck!

Hi TB,

First off, put yourself in your child's shoes. Would you like to "read" if someone was pushing it on you? Any activity you want a child to do is more fun if it is made into a game, done with music, etc. Try reading any of the child development books by Arnold Gesell (check Amazon.com or library), since all kids develop differently, and there is a range of "normal" for specific ages and learning, motor skills academic skills, etc. Do not worry if your older child likes to read and your younger one doesn't. It sounds to me like the younger one is more physical and not ready yet to attend, so try music for kids with words she can sing and MOVE to (the Wee Sing tapes were popular 20 years ago, but I don't know about now!). Again, make it FUN, or she will associate reading with drudgery and may even rebel against it just because she knows you want her to do it. Sometimes, if a child resists something, and you try a variety of techniques and she still "resists", it could be that she is not developmentally ready yet for that particular skill. Also, be careful of labeling her a "trouble-maker"... a child's behavior is a clue to what is going on with them that they cannot always express verbally. Why don't you try "getting into things" WITH her and playing WITH her? This is a wonderful opportunity for you to bond with your child at her level and with her interests and let her guide YOU. As a retired occupational therapist, please consider reading this book (Amazon has it): "Sensory Integration and the Child" by A. Jean Ayres. It is fascinating, easy to read, and extremely informative in regard to all the underlying neurological and gross motor skills a child must have developed and "integrated" in order to be "ready" for the higher level tasks of reading, writing, etc. Once you read this, you will better appreciate and understand your second child. However, if you feel she does not show interest in age-appropriate toys, and after reading about 23 month olds in the Gesell book you feel she is lagging behind her age group, then I would consult your pediatrician and find an occupational therapist (OT) who is certified in sensory integration to evaluate and treat her. Is her speech normal for her age? Does she resist being touched? If you have questions about normal development, and you live in Bastrop County, call ###-###-#### and talk to Sheryl Durfey. Good luck! jenifer

Hi TB,

Ok, I agree with some of the other moms...don't sweat it yet. However, try some cute rhyming books. Also, check out your local story time centers or libraries to see if that will encourage her to do it. She might like being with the other little ones and learn to appreciate getting her own books, picking them out and listening to someone new reading to her. You might be pushing it too much (if she feels that) she might be seeing it as a negative thing more than a positive one. Make sure you check ages for the story times so that it's geared for her. Good Luck!!

As a former English teacher, I get this question all the time, and my first response is always: "How much do you read?" I'm not talking about magazines, but actual books. Unless she sees you taking the time to read YOUR OWN books (at least as often as you would like her to read, which is probably everyday), it may be difficult for her (no matter how old she is) to really believe that reading has value, and it's important to do it everyday. Many people underestimate the power of modeling positive behavior. If you are telling her that it is important to take time from her "busy" schedule to read, you should be willing to do the same with your own books.

My daughter did the same thing. She was way too busy getting into everything else (dolls, games, etc) that she didn't want to.

The big change happened when I started teaching her to read by herself. No amount of work on our part can create that feeling of self-accomplishment for them! I found this website that is very helpful, there's lots of games for her to play. I'd suggest monitoring her while she's playing it because of her age (don't want her to reformat your hard drive or anything!). But it worked for us, and now my daughter BEGS for books all day!

www.starfall.com

How about getting your child to "write" her experiences of play or adventures. Get her to help pick out some supplies at an art store such as journals, colored pencils, etc.

Although she may not be able to "write" her own words, you can transcribe what she tells you. Perhaps in this way, she will be more inclined to read her own stories and adventures, because maybe the children's books have not captivated her attention the way her own mind has. It is definitely worth a try.

Might I also suggest books by Robert Munsch, which she can also listen to online as the author reads them aloud. The website is www.robertmunsch.com. His stories (other than the hyper-sentimental "Love You Forever") contain absurd humor. And, if the subject matter doesn't offend you, WALTER THE FARTING DOG, is a series of a dog with a flatulence problem, who nevertheless is quite a hero. The illustrations are highly captivating, also.

Hope this helps. I had a son who loved to "write" stories more than listen to them at a younger age. He is an avid reader now at 13.

Good luck!

J.

Hi TB, I don't have this same problem, but I have an idea to try. If your child has a hard time sitting down to read a book, maybe you could try reading the book and having her act it out for you and the family. Or you and she act it out together while someone else reads it. This could get her interested in the storytelling aspect of it and take advantage of her more kinesthetic qualities. This would at least give her a relationship to books that could very well draw her in later for sitting down and reading. Hope this helps.

Oh yes I can relate. My son is 2 1/2 and he loves to TEAR books, not look at them. If he sees me looking through my mags, he'll run up to me and snatch it away and tear off a page or two. So far, his only interests are playgrounds, action movies and coins. I can't help you but I know what you're going through. HAve you tried musical or pop-up books?

Have you tried having her act out the book as you read? Some kiddoes just won't sit still for an entire book, but they'll still listen if they're moving around. Having her act it out may help build comprehension too.

Good luck!

Try color books, books you paint with water, books with stickers, explore non-fiction, does she have a favorite animal, you can get a giant stack of books on puppies and just let her look quickly through them. kids magazines like zoobooks with photos instead of illustrations. Go to Barnes and Noble and let her choose her own book and give the cashier the money. Give her toys to play with during reading time, something to keep hands busy. Try books on computer. Read aloud email from grandma, regular mail, point out everytime there is a sign, or menu (it says you can buy ice cream here). Try letting other people read to her. Put magnet letters on the fridge, foam letters in the tub. Write her name on things, or label important objects. Try a different time of day, maybe she associates reading with having to go to bed and not play anymore or is too tired. Even if she won't sit with a book you can still teach reading. Use big words followed by a short definitions. Talk and listen about everything. Tell stories aloud, sing songs, recite poems and nursey rhymes, tongue twisters. A huge part of reading is being able to make and hear different sounds. I've taught reading for years and I think you are right to be concerned it is an extremely advanced skill that kids learn early. Daily read aloud is one of the most common factors in good readers. I would continue to read aloud in the same room and let her go about her business. Some children don't seem to pay attention but amaze you at what they remember. Try to find books that relate to her life. If you went to the beach, find a beach book. There is some type of book that will interest her you just have to find what it is. For my nephew it is those Where's Waldo, for my 16 month old son it is anything with a baby, puppy, or ball. Also talk about the book during reading and let her talk during the story, it will pay off later in comprehension and higher order thinking. Good luck, don't give up. With kids it can take a long time to get results but work now will save you hours later.

hi,

my first child started reading by himself when he was 2 and a half. amazing! when he was a baby, i didn't know what to do with him, so i read to him, all the time. then when he got older, it took him a long time to settle down for naps, so more books, and then again, at night. he is seven now. my daughter, however, is three and does not recognize each letter. when she was a baby, i did not have the time to read to her the way i did for my boy, and then when i did start reading to her, same thing you said, she was not into it. she would rather manipulate the book, chew it tear it, make designs on the floor with various books. anyway, she now enjoys reading. but in a different way than my son. he wanted to know exactly what was going on in the book, he likes to memorize. she likes to sing her interpretation of what is happening, and then maybe i get a chance to get a few words in, and then we are done with that page. ahhh..... so maybe you are a little like me, the two kids are just soooo different, and develope in different ways???? never fear, of course she will learn to read, but it really is ok. and some other moms gave you good ideas to make it happen sooner than late. all good-

At that age my daughter was too busy to sit in my lap and read so I told her I would let her play around me while I read one of her books out loud and that worked. She would absorb herself in the story but would also be playing with her toys. Now she loves to sit and read with me !

Hello, My name is Leah and I have three children(14,12,9). My children also did not read much when they were younger. It took them a while but now they readly read for long streaches at a time. I would not worry to much, she is very young to expect her to read alst. You say she is a mover and shaker and a trouble maker. She sounds like she is easily bored. Start to include her in things that you do around the house,dusting,cooking,dishes. Hope this helps...
Leah

Don't stress over it - maybe she just isn't that kind of child right now. My 5 year old is just now really interested in sitting through an entire story! He was a "hands on" toddler - just don't worry about it - leave picture books around where she can get to them, she'll look at them on her own time -

I personally am not experiencing this but I did think of an idea...it may or may not work..just a thought.
What if you copied a book or actually tore pages out of a book and let her help you put it back together as a fun project. You could hang them on the wall and let her see how fun it is to read. You could also try helping her write her own story by coloring pages from a coloring book and writing her own little novel. Like i said, may sound stupid but just some random thoughts.
I was in children's ministry and we would do all kinds of crazy things like this to get the kids to just hear a story from scripture without preaching to them or boring them half to death.

She isn't even 2 years old yet so I wouldn't be concerned at all. My youngest (of 3) was a very active toddler--didn't want to sit for a minute to look at books. She began reading in Kindergarten and is now in 3rd grade and is a voracious reader. She still loves to be outside and "going" a lot of the time but loves reading, too. I think pressuring her to do something she isn't ready for or doesn't want to do will backfire and she will never like reading. My other two didn't read fluently until well into their 1st grade year and devour books now. Just give her time and let her be who she is--an active, busy toddler.

My older daughter didn't like to sit and read either...until she was 8. She was too busy doing somersaults and flips...etc...

Then, during 2nd grade she found she could READ about her passion, Horses... after that, I had to ration her reading time. She's almost 20 now, and LOVES to read.

Keep books around, let her see you read; and read at bed time or bath time. Read rhymes, chants, and fingerplays to her, things with rythmn and movement. Try "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"...get the rap version on cassett or CD. It's a ton of fun. If she learns to dance to the rhythmns, when she finds out that she can read the words, she'll be intrigued. For now, she can dance, twirl...

T.

I have an extensive educational backgriund having worked in schools as a reading specialist, teacher, principal....Kids come to this maturationalo level on their on. We have found that just making the experience pleasurable eithe with Mom reading or sister reading aloud. I think that your daughter will eventually see the experience of you re ading with your other child and enjoying books something that she wants as well. i would also re commend that she have her eyes teasted. I am sure that you have thought of this but sometimes not. If seeing the visdulization of the word is hard she will not grav itate to this activity. In addition, I know that you are aware that every kid is different. Had your first one not been such an avid reader you wold think nothing of this. I do believe that once you have checked out the eyes....and just makes the reading a ctivuities pleasurable with the kids, she will eventaully come around. She is much to young to see if she has a reading disability. i will bet she is just an ac tuvw little imp that loves the whole idea of play...Setting limits about her behavior if they are destructive are essential....but she might be a kinestic learner ( one that has to touch everything) rather than a visual learner. We have seen many kids they appoear to be "troublemakers" but actually they just do not want to l;earn in the usual ways. Good luck! If i can help in any other 3ay let me knoiw.

J.

Yikes!!!!!!!!!! She is to young to be reading.

You can't expect your children to be exactly alike. My child didn't like to read either. She's 11 now and still not too fond of it, but she reads when she has to and sometimes enjoys it. Most of the time I read to her, even when she could read on her own. When she got older and stuggled through having to read a book,I would read one paragraph or page and she would read the next. Don't be so hard on her. She will excell in other things. We shouldn't expect our kids to be perfect.

You may want to try giving her a shape sorter ...

Create a cabinet in the kitchen with things she can "get into" without making a very big mess,like perhaps wooden spoons, plastic containers of various sizes, etc.

My 2nd child was like that, and yes she did grow out of it, but along the way we discovered she was more logical than her reading big sister. She always preferred shapes and objects to manipulate.

Hi! First let me say I have four kids, one a senior (my only daughter!) and the boys are 8th, 7th and 3rd in their school years. I'm also a teacher, having taught gifted children for 9 years and now special needs needs children in Taiwan.

My first thought when reading your question was less about reading and interest in it and more about her being a second born child, learning differences and those type of things. May I recommend some areas of research for you? First I would highly recommend The Birth Order Book (can't remember the author). That book taught me so much about my kids and their differences. Second, researching different learning styles would be great, too. Don't underestimate the fact that your two year old is "smart as a whip." She may need to relate her reading to her experiences. One of the things that used to be emphasized in education was to give kids experiences to read about. Your daughter may need to have some relevance to what she is reading. She may be more of a hands-on learner, where your first child is comfortable with books and learning through them.

It sounds like you have a good mix of learners in your midst! I'm sure you are having fun!

Blessings!

Two questions:

Does she have vision problems that make it hard for her to interact with the book (all mine were in glasses before their 3rd birthday!)

Does she have food allergies that are short-circuiting her ability to concentrate? (see http://www.feingold.org for some of the most common ones.) All mine are sensitive to certain additives and eliminating them helped 100%

Email me girlsnglasses at yahoo dot com for more info on these two. I don't check in here often.

I have 5 kids. The oldest really liked to read, the 2nd not so much so, the 3rd liked it, the 4th didn't sit still for more than a simple story, and the 5th liked it. They all read now, though, although the one who didn't like to read at all is very selective in his reading. He likes nature and animal books and that's about it, but that's OK. Model reading for her. Keep the stories short for now - you don't want to turn her off. Eventually she'll realize it's something you value - as they say, values are better caught than taught. Look at the big picture and don't get upset about it. As she grows older, follow her interests and seek out books on topics that interest her.

Hello,
First off I want you to know I am a teacher. Your children will not be interested in the same things at the same ages always. They are two different people. Your 2 year old has no interest in reading because she want to explore things. Let her. She is learning while getting into things. Books I would suggest are pop ups or touch and feel books and read them to her when she is getting sleepy. I would suggest getting her a sand and water table and things to stimulate her that way. Don't stress over her liking books yet.

B.
www.MoreForMyBaby.com