serendipitous journey Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Okay, my 2.5-yo now needs roughly the same amount of sleep as my 7-year-old. Since my best, longest stretch of read-aloud time has been reading to Button after I've settled the tot, as a bedtime story, what to do? (the toddler doesn't take a nap) Please don't tell me to get up 30-45 min earlier with the tot. Or if you do, please send a hug along with the advice! :) Here's the current schedule for morning wake-up and PM going down: 7:00 AM -- boys allowed up. Button sleeps until 7:30 usually, Bot-bot's been getting up at 6 - 6:30 the last week or so. 8:00 AM -- everybody needs to be upstairs, dressed, &c. 8:30 - 9:30 -- we start school. ... 7:00 - 7:15 -- Bot-bot's story & snuggle time traditionally begins now. 7:30 - 7:45 -- finished with Bot'bot's story & snuggle, I wash my face & take a short moment before ... 7:35 - 7:50 -- read to Button 8:15: Button in bed, short snuggle. I mustn't rely on DH to put the toddler to bed, because he travels so often. But I would hate to lose that 30-ish minute stretch of good reading time. Any ideas? Should I try to give the toddler a video? let him play as long as he is "quiet"? just suck it up, and perhaps make our evening read-alouds something closer to Pippi Longstocking (which the toddler can sort of follow) than Mrs. Frisby or the Mixed-up Files (which he just can't). What do y'all do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pollo_la Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Well, I can tell you that in our house the night time story is geared toward my 2 and 4 year olds... but my 6 and 8 year old do enjoy them as well. I would try to find of block of time during the day where the younger one can more easily be occupied quietly with another activity near you. Then, snuggle on the couch and read with the older one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Well my dd2 is about 3 weeks form turning three but for the last 6 months or so she has joined us for read alouds. She picks a stack of board books and joins us on the bed. She can stay as long as she is quiet. I gently remind her to be quiet if she has a hard time. Only twice or so in the last few months have I had to just put her to bed for being distracting. Quiet toys would be acceptable for me as well. I am fully aware not every two year old will do this, but I do think if you start with reasonable expectations (5 minutes) with books of their own, you should be able to gently "train" a toddler to sit for 20-30 minutes at least. I would try getting him used to sitting in, try 5 minutes at first (use a timer) then increase to 10 etc. if he can sit for those minutes reward him with free play or a video while you read. Make it fun, let him read, color, play...as long as he is doing it quietly. I have noticed at this age every month gets easier. :) dd2 just sat through the Tale of Despereaux with no problem at all. She enjoys sitting and listening now and can easily go 30-45 minutes. At this point in the game I don't mind threatening her with bed if she can't be quiet because. A) she is a little older and fully understands and B) it is usually bed time anyway when we read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 My kids all share a room, so I do one read-aloud. Sometimes it is geared more toward the 8 year old, and sometimes it is good for at least the older two. If the 3 year old doesn't want to listen to the story, he just falls asleep while I read. When I had baby in another room, I read to the older boy(s) first (so again, everyone listens), then I'd put the baby/toddler down with some picture books of his own. Doing younger then older never worked for me. And no, I wouldn't suggest getting your child up earlier. That would probably backfire! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I split my reading into groups. The chapter book read alouds happen during the day while my toddler plays amongst us. Anyone who wants to listen is welcome. The nighttime reading is only picture books, and everyone is invited. My 10yo doesn't join us regularly anymore, but my 8yo will if he isn't engrossed in his own reading. With the ages and stages of my kids, bedtime is just too hectic to read to everyone and get them all to bed at a reasonable time. I'm usually spent by then anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Thank you, everybody -- esp. since all you who responded have more children than I do, and none of you rolled your eyes at me for having troubles with only two little ones! These ideas give me good strategies. Since there are actually lots of picture books I want to expose Button to, the idea of doing chapter books earlier and picture books before bed may be the best starter; but I'd prefer doing chapter books if possible, and may try Nicole's idea of starting with just 5 minutes and working up. boscopup, did you slowly train your 3yo to be quiet-ish during reading? Does he sit/play quietly on his bed? am very curious about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyh Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Can you read to the tot while the older is getting ready for bed (teeth, jammies, etc.). Then put the tot down and snuggle with the oldest while your read to him? If they are sharing a room, then the tot could listen/fall asleep to the older boy's story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Yes, I slowly trained my 3 year old to be quiet during read alouds. Basically, it's a strict rule: You do not interrupt someone who is talking or reading to you. (exceptions are made for legitimate questions about the story). Oh, and I read DS1's school read aloud during breakfast. I eat before the kids come down, then I can read Bible and a chapter book during that time. I definitely wouldn't laugh at you for having trouble with 2 kids! I think as I've added more kids, some things have gotten easier, believe it or not. I think it was DS2 that especially had to be trained to sit quietly. DS3 naturally does whatever his brothers are doing. I still sometimes have to remind him to be quiet, but he's usually pretty good. In fact, one condition for him moving into the room with big brothers was that he had to behave, so he had extra incentive. I think I moved him into their room right as he turned 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 We Are going through this as well. My just turned 2 year old shares a room with her sister, and won't go to sleep first...so she's up with us. She is SUCH a distraction. I totally understand that the chapter books aren't age appropriate for her to listen to. I read her board books first, and then my hope is that she plays quietly in the room so I can read to the other two. That never happens. I spend the entire story time putting the toddler back to bed (she gets up and says she's ready to 'try again') and get more and more frustrated. I have been cutting story time short, and I hate to do that. I just don't seem to have any good solutions for now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 okay, I think I'll try moving the tot into the older one's room -- we were going to wait until 3 yo, but now certainly would help ease things up. thank you again, everybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazzie Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 My little ones will sit at the table quietly eating while big brother listens to a story. It's fabulous because they sit still and are happily occupied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 We Are going through this as well. My just turned 2 year old shares a room with her sister, and won't go to sleep first...so she's up with us. She is SUCH a distraction. I totally understand that the chapter books aren't age appropriate for her to listen to. I read her board books first, and then my hope is that she plays quietly in the room so I can read to the other two. That never happens. I spend the entire story time putting the toddler back to bed (she gets up and says she's ready to 'try again') and get more and more frustrated. I have been cutting story time short, and I hate to do that. I just don't seem to have any good solutions for now... My girls share a room also. This is one of the reasons we do read alouds in my bed. Much easier to send her to her bed if she is distracting. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 My little ones will sit at the table quietly eating while big brother listens to a story. It's fabulous because they sit still and are happily occupied. We do this, too! at lunch and AM snack at least; and usually we read poems at the PM snack. Today was a treat -- once a week we have lunch while listening to a chapter from a "Little House" book. So decadent to just sit & eat while somebody else reads a story! My girls share a room also. This is one of the reasons we do read alouds in my bed. Much easier to send her to her bed if she is distracting. ;) what an excellent idea! plus, my room isn't full of distracting Legos & trucks :) ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 what an excellent idea! plus, my room isn't full of distracting Legos & trucks :) ... Yes, it helps to control what the little be has access to. I let her bring a bug stack of books in and she sits with us and looks through those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.