When choosing toys for Alyssa before she was born and for every birthday and Christmas since, it has always involved a book or two including pop-up books, sensory books and books all about her favourite characters such as Iggle Piggle and the rest of the gang from In the Night Garden. 
As I said, I have had images in my mind of us sharing books together and her love for them growing like mine did. However, currently the only things Alyssa wants to do with books is either chewing them or rippin
g them. I have ended up putting away paper books so that she cannot rip those and I will save them until she is a bit older and we now just have the harder cardboard books available. I do try. I get one out and start reading it aloud just to myself to see if I can spark her interest. I add voices and sometimes actions too but I only usually get one of two results; I get completely ignored or I get the book taken off of me. I have even begun to give up trying!
Recently she did let me read one of her little books to her – she brought it to me herself. It was one of her little In the Night Garden books and she stood there and listened to the whole story and then went off to play with her dolly. I get that she is still young but she really does seem to have no interest in them at all and rather guiltily I feel a bit disappointed by that. I see lots of mums posting about there little ones loving books and sitting and reading to them and that is with children younger as well as older than Alyssa and it makes me worry that I should or could have done something more to encourage her to like books.
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20 Comments
She might get more interested in books when she starts school and learns to read herself. Does she see you reading for pleasure? If she sees you reading your own books, that might help too. But otherwise, I wouldn’t sweat it. Good luck!
I remember reading to you so much, you loved it from a young age. Kerrie did too, Ollie preferred puzzles. Today Alyssa bought me a book and i read it while you were taking a few minutes to dress. It was of course In the Night Garden. Dont worry my darling your little bubba is bright and happy. Xx
Hey lovely, G, was very disinterested in books, I would be almost chasing her around the room begging her to let me read a story!! As I too have always loved books. But one day she just changed, she insisted I read her books (Mostly at bedtime, to avoid going to sleep!) but the interest grew when SHE was interested…can’t force it….but im sure it will come 🙂 #ablogginggoodtime x
I wouldn’t worry too much – kids all come to reading in their own time. The Popple used to get distracted really easily when I tried to read to her and then would just get up and walk away, but now she loves it and insists that I read to her all the time. Sometimes I wish she liked it less – she makes me read the same books over and over and over and over. There are only so many times you can read Mog and the Baby before you start to lose it a little. #ablogginggoodtime
Oh I do sympathise – – the conjured up image of being a mummy sitting reading to your children – I know! I wouldn’t push it lovely – let her find her love in her own way. I think Alyssa is one exploring kind of girl – she strikes me as being so active that to sit down and read isn’t who she is – yet! I think you’re right, three years time you’ll be writing a very different post! #Ablogginggoodtime
Maybe it’s something she’ll grow to appreciate when she’s a little older.
I’ve always loved reading, like you I enjoy the feel of a book and I really hope Rory enjoys them too. At the moment he likes the interactive books like find spot #ablogginggoodtime
I wouldn’t worry (yet!) When they get to school and reading records and having to read so many pages a night, they will be put off reading anyway. You may well find that in fact it’s at this stage you can encourage your daughter to find material that she wants to read for enjoyment, rather than being told she has to. My girls were all avid readers and they were all put off by school prescriptive reading. Daughter 2 is dyslexic and at 16 now reads nothing 🙁 The others all read a bit. Their teachers in secondary school always encourage reading, as do I. I guess what I’m saying is: what she is doing now doesn’t necessarily reflect where she is heading. Keep introducing her to books. Keep positive, don’t sweat it, or she’ll sense reading is associated with negative vibes. Alison x #ablogginggoodtime
What a dilemma!!
This would be hard for me too because I love books and reading. But what if that’s not her cup of tea?
Hopefully this too shall pass??
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
#ablogginggoodtime
I would let her explore her interests. We often go to the library and to WH Smith’s and I let Amelia choose and borrow/buy her own books. They’re not necessarily what I would choose but I feel that encourages her to be independent. At Alyssa’s age, we would come home from the library with the most random selection!! Over the years, Amelia had realised from these library hauls what she does and doesn’t like and now chooses more carefully!! I also have a rule that at bedtime I only read a story all the way through ONCE and then she can look at it herself. #ablogginggoodtime
My oldest was a bookworm from 6 months then started school and having to read for school made him lose interest as he wasn’t doing it for fun anymore. He’s almost 8 now and is slowly rediscovering books for pleasure again. My youngest was just like Alyssa, not interested at all and would rather chew them or stand on them than actually read them. Once she was around 18 months she finally let me read to her at bedtime and I started taking her to library every three weeks to pick new ones. Gradually she started to become more interested and now at 2.5 she loves her books. They’re all different and come to things in their own time, I really wouldn’t worry x
#Ablogginggoodtime
She’s probably just got too many other things to look at. Just have lots of books around, make it part of bedtime. N loved books and still loves looking at them and having me read to him, but he will not read any of his own books at home. Not great when he’s in year 1 at school #ablogginggoodtime
I’m sure her interest will grow with time. My daughter was never really interested in books during the day, she was and still is far too busy for that! At bedtime, however, I have always read to her, right from day 1 and she is more than happy to listen then. I think finding the right time is key…little ones are busy people they have a lot to see and do and sitting and listening to stories isn’t always high on their agenda. I wouldn’t worry but I certainly wouldn’t give up either – I would perhaps persist with a story before nap time or before bed every day whether she listens or not. When she realises it’s just part of the routine she might just start to listen! #ablogginggoodtime
Don’t worry Hun! I had one who would sit for hours and one who wouldn’t sit for one minute and they are both good readers. Just keep making books readily available. ?
There are more ways to learn to read than through books. Perhaps she’ll be more interested in magazines featuring her favourite characters. #ablogginggoodtime
We love the Night Garden Live too! Difficult one. I know it can be a bit worries, but I would not pouch her too much as she could totally get off it. What about going to a reading club in a library where people read a story to children? With other kids, she might like it and it might help her curiosity? ablogginggoodtime
I really get where you’re coming from with this as one of the twins doesn’t often want me to read to her and I feel very guilty when I sit with the other reading because this means cuddles too, but twin 1 just isn’t interested and I can’t force it – I’m sure it will change soon though. #ablogginggoodtime
That’s hard, but i bet she is justbeing independent. My oldest son decided for awhile the he knew how to read because he could look at the pictures and figure out what was going on and thus wouldn’t let me read to him. Perhaps ask her to read to you? #ablogginggoodtime
Ah that’s hard, but I’m sure in time it will come. It may just be not her thing at the moment. #ablogginggoodtime
We’re the other way in our house – they love books & we have to put a limit on the number of bedtime stories otherwise we’d be there all night…sorry not very helpful! #ablogginggoodtime
No, totally normal! My 3 nearly 4 year old enjoys listening to books, and has done for quite a while now, but not when she was really young. The 2 year old does like listening to books, but she still hasn’t reached the point of often sitting still for it. They both used to just ignore the books or take them from me! #ablogginggoodtime