do you still read to your kid?

[Anonymous]

After my son got an x-box, we gradually stopped having our reading time together. He will be 13 soon. I'm wondering if I should put my foot down and insist that we still do this since studies show it is really good (he doesn't read more than what his school requires-- again, the x-box is far more attractive-- so my reading to him would be another way to get literature into him).

anyone else face this problem? I'd love advice!

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I do read to my middle schooler, but I'd personally not make it reading vs. x-box. If you want to cut back on his x-box time, do so. If you want to start reading aloud again, do so. But if you link the two, I predict you'll have an upset kid.

[Anonymous]

I still read to my 9 and 10 year olds. Most of the time my 12 y.o. DD will listen in. I stick with a series that they all like (we just finished The Benedict Society), it keeps them engaged.

[Anonymous]

We had to commute for HS and, to be efficient, we did all required reading on audio. Lit2go was a life saver, btw. But I also encouraged my DD to play games on her phone at the same time because the stress of HS and commute was insane. It worked out great for us, but then my daughter loved not having to slave over a story she didn't get to pick. Her memory recall for details were actually much better.

[Anonymous]

Was

[Anonymous]

I cannot imagine reading to my almost-13-yr-old. Unless he had dyslexia and there was really no other way for him to absorb written material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot imagine reading to my almost-13-yr-old. Unless he had dyslexia and there was really no other way for him to absorb written material.

+1

Yes I also think it's unusual to read to a 13 year old, and I can't imagine a teenager would want this?

[Anonymous]

No. Kids are 9 and 10. We haven't read to them in a couple of years. We do have 'family read' when everyone piles in our bed to cuddle and read their respective books.

[Anonymous]

I wish we had the time. On vacation we do. I read the kids a whole novel.

[Anonymous]

Thanks folks for the advice. Lots to think about! He does listen to podcasts before bed and we often listen to the same one and then talk about them the next day. Maybe that's the connection that works for him and I shouldn't mess with it as it seems to work for us.

[Anonymous]

I read to my kids, 17 and 12, almost every night. We sit in DC12's room when he's ready for bed, and DC17 comes in and joins us. Right now we are rereading the Harry Potter series, at DC17's request. Other books we have enjoyed recently: Seabiscuit, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Boys in the Boat, Unbroken (the YA edition). Sometimes I read articles from the New Yorker that I think will interest them.

They are both excellent readers who read a lot on their own (DS17 is an especially voracious reader). Although, last year DC17 had to read Alice in Wonderland for school. He hated it and could not get into it. While complaining to me about it, I joked, "what, do you want me to read it to you?" He said, "actually, yes." So I did.

[Anonymous]

I read to my almost 10-year old. Older DC listens in through the wall and occasionally shouts out comments ... kinda funny. Older DC is a huge reader, so even if we start a book together, it's done before I get back to it the next night. So we started reading the same books separately and comparing notes.

I do think it helps kids to hear others read out loud, and it certainly is good to have book discussions at any age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read to my kids, 17 and 12, almost every night. We sit in DC12's room when he's ready for bed, and DC17 comes in and joins us. Right now we are rereading the Harry Potter series, at DC17's request. Other books we have enjoyed recently: Seabiscuit, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Boys in the Boat, Unbroken (the YA edition). Sometimes I read articles from the New Yorker that I think will interest them.

They are both excellent readers who read a lot on their own (DS17 is an especially voracious reader). Although, last year DC17 had to read Alice in Wonderland for school. He hated it and could not get into it. While complaining to me about it, I joked, "what, do you want me to read it to you?" He said, "actually, yes." So I did.

That happened to us with Swiss Family Robinson in the original text. Awful slog of a read!

[Anonymous]

My mom stopped reading to us when we started reading ahead in the books ourselves. I think I was in maybe 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

Read a little bit to one DC last year when in 5th grade but mostly stopped - he is a good reader on his own. Same for older sibling -- stopped in 5th grade I'd guess. Still read a lot to 2nd grader but that DC reads a lot on own too.
Can't imagine saying that we don't read much anymore because of ... x-box! Yikes -- kid is allowed to play x-box in lieu of reading time?