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How much of a read aloud do you require before kids can nix it?


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My kids groaned when I pulled out Swiss Family Robinson this morning. My 13yo begged me not to read it. I took a vote and they were all DONE with it. I really thought my boys would like it, but I think the language sounds strange to them. Plus, they said it is boring. We have read four chapters and I still feel like the story is being laid out, but they insist it's boring. Oh, well maybe in a couple of years. Or perhaps just not good for reading aloud.

 

I hate leaving a book unfinished and will probably finish it myself. The only read aloud I can ever remember giving up was The Wheel on the School. We were so bored with that one, but I have heard that it is good and wonder if we missed out.

 

We picked up Charlotte's Web, which I have only read to my oldest in the past, and they didn't want to stop.

 

 

 

At what point do you allow your dc to set aside a book?

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Reasons for stopping a read aloud depends on a lot of things.

 

Why are you reading it aloud? Is it something you feel is important? (For me one I found important was about the war of Troy) or is it because you thought it would be enjoyed? (For example 100% Wolf)

 

(Oh my I have now had this reply open for several hours. :) - first making dinner, eating dinner, going to running club...)

 

Why do they want you to stop? I stopped two books easily since my boys found them scary. But I kept going on another because they wanted to stop since they just weren't that into it.

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I LOVE The Wheel on the School, but the kids did not. We dropped it about 3/4 of the way through. :(

 

They wanted me to stop reading Homer Figg, but I insisted we keep going, and now they really want to finish - it got more exciting and now we're almost done.

 

I guess I don't have a hard and fast rule for it.

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We had to read Swiss Family Robinson as a school assignment with study guides, etc. And it seamed to be a hard read. We got an unabridged audio CDs set from the library. There is also a cassettes set that is claimed unabridged, but it is not, almost 3 hours shorter and skipping many paragraphs and pages. Anyway, listening the audio along with reading the book made all the difference. My daughter 9y.o. loved it. We loved the story and the language more when it was read to us. Lena

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I would stop if they begged me to. No point if they are zoning out or not enjoying it. Try again another time, or maybe they will pick it up themselves, in the future. That said, my kids have not said they couldn't stand a read aloud, yet.

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My dc loved Wheel on the School. I read it aloud a couple of years ago, when the oldest was in 3rd grade.

 

I haven't read Swiss Family Robinson aloud, but my dd did read it herself last year in 4th grade. It took her a long time, but she got through it!

 

There have been a couple of read-alouds that we've stopped. They were on history topics meant to tie in with our spine, but they just weren't holding their interest. I don't think we've ever given up on any fiction books though.

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