My son is very difficult to read to. He’s fine at bedtime because he knows that it stalls bedtime. But any other time he is not interested. Its so frustrating! I started reading while he eats snack and lunch, and that helps. I know its so important to read tons to them but its so hard when he has no interest. Any advice…
He also hums, and counts when I read
I can totally relate to this! My daughter’s interest in books is very limited. I have to say it has somehow improved once I started “linking” the books to her favourite DVD’s. For example, her current favourite is Peppa Pig. So I would get a book matching a Peppa Pig episode and, I guess, she would find it quite amusing to see the same storyline. I know you son is older and is much more advanced so my suggestions may be irrelevant, but I wonder if you could link books to his areas of strong interest until listening to books becomes a habit? I have also tried letting her hold a matching object from the book while reading. For example, if I am reading a book about, say, birthday presents, I would let her hold the objects featured or even put objects in a bag and let her take them out one by one and match them to the storyline. It is still a long way to go for us, but she is now much more willing to follow other books.
We read mostly during meals and at bedtime. I have been able to read to my son at other times, but sometimes he doesn’t want to. Two other things to bear in mind are that the choice of reading material is VERY important, and it helps to cuddle, i.e., put the kid on your lap while reading, or sit down right next to him. I am almost always able to get my boy to listen to something, and often enthusiastically, but only after letting him choose from among a wide variety of books.
Also, don’t forget to vary your reading voice. Use different voices for the different characters, and read with emphasis, not monotonically. I might make a video demonstrating this, but you probably know what I mean. You don’t have to go over the top, the way some reading performers do (I’m thinking of some I’ve seen for Tumblebooks), but you do have to be interesting. :clown:
Perhaps I have to prove him with more chooses. Thank you for that idea. I try very hard to change my voice and such. I guess I just have to really focus on mealtime and bedtime reading. Should I keep reading if he’s humming? I wonder if he is really getting it
Thank you also for the idea of having him hold something. I had heard that somewhere but forgot about it
I agree with leaving your child to pick up the books he want to be read. Also some books with real pictures helps, looks like some children prefer real pictures tha cartoons. Also you can make some books with pictures of him having fun, eating,playing,painting…etc
Another thing is he needs to see you reading your own books as well, once they get to see you doing “grownuo things"they get really excited once they have the chance to do it too.
Depends sometimes what kind of books he likes, my daughter has this fascination for animals, so we usually read animal books more than other because we know are they favorites and of course she demands them. I also noticed when I try to read some books she will say no mommy I don’t want that one(she gets bored really easy)so I have to ask her to give me some she likes…and of course she will bring 10-15 books at once. So what I do is ask her” please choose 8 books" that is all we are going to read at this moment…it works better, sometimes is nice to specified what we want from them" they are not mind readers, right"
-I don’t know what is your case but my daughter loves big pictures on the books. Her favorite book so far is :
Perros! Perros!/Dogs! Dogs!: A Story in English and Spanish by Ginger Foglesong Guy and Sharon Glick
This books is an example of what kind of books she likes. What she is requiring lately is sitting on my lap to read books while daddy “brushes her hair” and daddy shouldn’t stop brushing her hair until we are done reading books…I think is funny! but she feels so relaxed.
Kids are a box of surprises.
Thank-you for the suggestions. I will give these a try. I’m addicted to books, but I go in spurts. One month I’ll have a book attached to me and another month I wont. I guess I’ll have to pick it up more 
My son’s fifth birthday was yesterday and I decided that we are going to read 1500 different books together. I’m keeping a long in my iPhone and I’m trying to use it as something to excite him. “Look! We read that great book! Lets add it to your list!”
Best wishes to your big boy!
Regarding humming, I also thought of trying something along the ABA lines. Like pairing reading books with some strong reinforcer and breaking it into small steps. For example, you could start with a very short and simple book with just a few lines on a couple of pages. You would choose a strong reinforcer, e.g. if your son likes stickers, you could hide a sticker, say, with his favourite character at back of the book, so he would only get it if he listens carefully and attentively to the story to the very last page and doesn’t hum. You would read this short book with a few lines for say 15 seconds initially and if he doesn’t hum while you read it you would say, “great reading the book attentively!”, and give him the sticker (or any other strong reinforcer). With time you would gradually move to longer and more advanced books, each time a page longer and reading it for 5-10 seconds longer.
For us it all seems to come down to choice of books. If he wants to read a particular book, I don’t have to do much to keep his attention–the book does that. If he doesn’t, there isn’t much I can do to hold his attention. Usually, I propose that we read a certain book. If he doesn’t seem interested, I give him a choice of 4-5 books. He’ll usually pick one of them himself. It also helps to have many books on hand, i.e., own a bunch, if you can afford it. I think this is especially important for chapter books.
By the way, just because he says “no” at one time doesn’t mean he won’t say “yes” later. I’d say only 5-10% of the books we’ve bought are “no always” books. Half of them are “yes pretty much anytime one time through” books, and the rest (35-40%) are “yes but only sometimes, one time through” books. Then there are the 3-5% that he insists on reading more than once. Of course, before he was 2.5 or so, he wanted to read all of his books multiple times…
I read to my son at bedtime, usually a short bible story and another book or two. I also ask him questions, usually “where is the…” and have him point. He does seem to like doing that, which engages him more. I agree that stalling/manipulating bedtime is a definitely possibility, as my son does this as well (he’s almost 2 years old). If this is the best time, where he actually will be more attentive to reading, or letting you read to him, then just plan for extra time in his bedtime routine. Reading is a great thing, and when they decide that they are interested, read away!!!
With the humming and counting, you might try asking him questions about the book. Or, you could do two different tactics. Read “louder” than he is humming/counting (although don’t go anywhere near yelling :), or you could try reading “quieter” than he is humming/counting. Sounds though like he’d rather be involved than just a passive listener?
Do you sing to him? You might want to try to sing a couple of songs before you read? Then he’s got some of his noise out, and you could say, okay, now it’s time to listen. If he’s counting, have him count something in the book. If you can match pitches, catch a line that he’s humming, and “sing” a line in the book to him. Like a call and response or echo thing.
Reading during eating times is also a great idea. Just make sure no TV or radio is on in the background.
We don’t read at lunch time because it can get a little messy and we try to eat together as a family and have a little chatting. But mostly all afternoons we do some singing and reading as wll as at bedtime. He usually picks the books he wants and still likes to read some over and over again.
waerdreamer, as dadDude says we use different voices to represent differrent characters. He loves that a lot because he likes playing th story. Like Red Ridding Hood wher he would be the hunter or the wolf in grandma’s disguise answering the red ridding girl’s questions. He really enjoys that.