Does anyone NOT read aloud?

[idnib]

I also don't enjoy it. It's tiring (TMJ) and I feel like it's so much slower than reading to myself. But I do love the discussions, looking up places on maps, etc. I have built up my stamina over time, from 10-15 minutes to 45 or so. Sometimes I split the reading into 2 sessions, one after lunch, one as the last thing we do for the school day. I don't enjoy bedtime stories; I'm usually bushed by then.

 

I stick with it because I do believe in the benefits. The kids listen to audio books during lunch so there's that too.

 

Thats said...the best reader I know is DH. He reads 2-3 books/week and before we had kids could read 1500 pages in a weekend, all with excellent comprehension and recall, even years later. His mom was a librarian and he was raised in a very bookish home, but nobody read to him after early elementary. I also love to read, but am much slower. I don't recall anyone reading anything to me ever, except when I was being taught to read.

[abba12]

I can actually cope with picture books fairly well, they're short enough... but she has decided that picture books are no good, she cries if I pull out a 'short book', hates her individual golden books or Dr Seuss books or Hairy Maclary or Little Jewel Books. She wants the big collectors editions of Noddy or Peter Rabbit and Friends, or the Golden Book Treasury or the one with the ridiculously long fairy tales in it. If I could just grab a little picture book and be done with it I'd be happy! I never realized how many words long peter rabbit was in it's full edition!

 

You've all given me some things to think about. I may be convinced that reading books above her reading level has value. I am also going to look more seriously into audiobooks.. I'll keep reading picture and board books as I have done but I think I can let go of the guilt of not reading too much longer now. Thanks for the audiobook suggestions listed! I believe as a visually impaired person I actually have access to an audiobook library which I have never bothered with before but it might be good to have a look into again. 

 

As for quality snuggle time, I might hate reading aloud, but we do other things in place of that, and now that I consider it, I would much rather spend 2 hours doing those things than 2 hours reading aloud, I can't just make reading time appear, something has to not be done in order for reading aloud to be done, and when I look at it that way, I'm not willing to give up the activities we do while other families may be reading. This will be even more true for us as the kids get older.  That's ok, different families and lifestyles :) but it helps to refocus on our goals and priorities (not that reading isn't a priority, it is, just not the act of mummy herself reading aloud to children frequently)

 

Thank you all for your insight

[LMD]

i think I'd enjoy it a lot more if my 3 year old could just shhh for a minute. I find it exhausting to stop regularly because the noise is too much and I'm having to raise my voice. If we had the blissful engaged snuggling then I'm sure I'd like it more. I find too much noise overwhelming in general (i know, Why then am i homeschooling with 4 kids?!), and after reading aloud/teaching for school my voice and ears are tired! I persist though, because i want to train my preschooler to listen, i want to share good books with my dc (heck, i want to up!d them!) and i want those memories and culture for our family.... So i suck it up!

[angela in ohio]

I read aloud until they could read for themselves (age 4 or 5,) and then I was done. By that time I had read every classic picture book to them, and because I taught phonics very thoroughly, they were able to take off into chapter books and then novels quickly on their own. I continued having them read to me a bit each day, which I consider far more important, in order to establish correct reading and speech skills.

 

We are very much classical homeschoolers, and my oldest dd is just ending her Great Books study for high school, which she has enjoyed and thrived on. She got there by reading all of the Good Books and learning a lot of history. Her love of literature came from watching me read, from discussing the works with me (I actually read them,) and from the way we purposefully placed value on reading and books in our home. My other two are following in her footsteps.  I have a common booklist that they read from for their pre-high school years, so we have all read the same books and have that shared experience, jokes, and references about certain characters or plots.

 

I think that some of the value in reading aloud comes from the way it forces the parent to share a book with the child and take that time each day. Those benefits can come in other ways - reading the same book, spending intentional time in other ways. I spend a lot more time in direct instruction and discussion than most homeschoolers I know, for example, so taking that time together once a day to read aloud isn't as much a necessity. When we are done with their coursework, everyone scatters with a book. They have been taught the habit of reading as a first choice for free time, which I think will serve them well into adulthood.

 

I am sure we can each look at something we do in our homeschool and label it a "non-negotiable" for all homeschoolers. Reading aloud is a common one for many people, but it isn't the only way. There could be something I look at in the homeschool of someone who reads aloud and call out as a missing fundamental. Each homeschool parent gets to use their own methods to reach the goals they set. There is no magic formula (though many people will try to sell you one.) Yes, it is a good strategy for most people, but it you thoughtfully choose to use other methods, that's fine, really. :)

[Jerico]

We listen to primarily audiobooks. I can crank it up over the toddler! Often can do something else (dishes, or even coloring/play dough with the kids). It saves my throat from the pain. I do read some too.

[Canadianmumof5]

We read (or I read) to the little ones before bed and that is it! Once they know how to read themselves, they read on their own before bed. I have enough trouble trying to get all of their work done without adding a read-aloud to my crazy schedule. I do like to read to them - i just don't have the time!!!!

 

Just wanted to add that our kids have books that mom assigns (the good stuff :)) for their reading time during school hours (30-45 minutes) and then they are free to choose their own books for bedtime. For example, DS7 has the stepping stone version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as assigned reading but before bed he is choosing to read an NHL hockey almanac.

[Lolly]

Just a funny that somewhat relates...

 

Dd 21 refused to read to herself. She could read. She could do it well. She would take turns reading a book with me. She would NOT read on her own. I finally got her to tell me why. When I read out loud, I used different voices and a lot of inflection. She she read on her own, she couldn't put the right voices in her head. Everything was just "flat". So, she didn't enjoy the stories. Once she learned to make the book "sound" right in her head, she started reading on her own. It took a long time!

 

So, there are benefits to NOT reading aloud. Your dc won't not read because the voices aren't right in their heads.

[Mommy22alyns]

I never had reading aloud modeled for me, but we've been reading to the girls since Rebecca was a baby.  I think they'd protest if we told them we were stopping!  I personally dislike it though, so I pawn it off on DH.   :laugh:

[Susan in TN]

I didn't for a long time. My oldest was probably in 4th or 5th grade when I finally guilted myself into it. I'm glad I did. I still don't enjoy reading aloud all that much, but I try to choose books and stories that are interesting to me, and that helps. This is my last year to have all my kids together for story time (since my oldest is graduating and going off to college next year), so it is an especially sweet time for us these days.

[journey00]

I like to read aloud sometimes...but they must be short stories. Read, discuss, spend quality time together. Done. They read independently and we use audio books in the car. We also watch and discuss documentaries. It is a beautiful and perfect combination for us. :)

[julie4]

Has anyone chosen not to do this and raised perfectly normal children? :D

 

Does anyone not read aloud once their children are reading?

 

For my oldest, who is 14, I didn't read to her past the time that she was reading whatever chapter books she wanted independently, maybe 4th grade. Honestly because I didn't know that I was supposed to. It wasn't until I started homeschooling that I learned the benefits of reading aloud when they are already independent readers. And because you asked, yes she's perfectly normal, reading at college level at 14, and in mostly honors classes. So while I understand the benefits, it's certainly not necessary for academic success. I think the most important think is that children develop a love of reading.