Read-aloud - at what age do you usually stop?

[mathnerd]

My DS is 6 and I have always read aloud to him. Usually a classic that is interesting to the family as a whole. I just finished reading the whole Oz series to him. What happens now is that when we take breaks between readings, he gets impatient and grabs the current book and finishes it by himself. I am wondering if he wants to read everything by himself and if there is an age when people stop reading to their kids. Or should I just continue reading the book where I left off and have him listen to it once more as I read? He has done this with Treasure Island and Peter Pan before too. I am just now beginning to see the pattern in him saying he read the rest of the book because he wanted to get to the next part of the story immediately. Any suggestions? Thank you.

[SoCalLynn]

I still read out loud to my 14 (15 this Saturday) year old daughter. It's a fun time for us. I think kids should be read aloud to for the longest possible time. We often have the most interesting talks because of something we've read, and we have lots of fun inside jokes because of a story we've read. It's not just about the stories, it's about the relationship building.

[Loowit]

I still do read aloud books with my boys who are 8 and 11.  They love me to read to them.  The books we do as read aloud are only read to them by me.  They have other books that they can read on their own.  I suppose if I were only reading it to one of them and they wanted to finish on their own I wouldn't mind, but because I am doing it for both they need to wait until the next time it is reading time.  My boys still love me to read them books.  My daughter isn't really into me reading aloud at all and hasn't been for years, she would rather read on her own.  So last year was the last time she was involved in read aloud times and that was for books for school.  I enjoy reading to my boys and they enjoy me reading to them, so I guess it will go on until the boys decide they don't enjoy it anymore.  However, I will add that my older boy has some reading delays, and while he tries hard to read on his own he struggles.  My youngest isn't a reader, he can read but doesn't enjoy it.  So I am guessing those factors play into them wanting/enjoying me reading to them.

 

I think it would be best to just ask your son if he would prefer to read books on his own or if he likes to be read to.  I am a person who doesn't like to be read to, I much prefer to read it for myself.  I have trouble following if all I can do is hear a book.  I also hate books on tape.

[MinivanMom]

I have stopped reading aloud to my 10-yr-old for "school". She is at a point where she wants to read on her own and it's right for her to make that transition, so she is reading everything, including literature, on her own this year.

 

We still read aloud to her at bedtime, though. That's family reading that we would do even if she were in public school.

[jenn&charles]

I read out loud to my kids until they graduated and will continue to do so with Otter until he graduates. It's something we all have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. Even my husband likes to listen in sometimes. 

 

Edited to add:

Concerning your son picking up where you left off in a book...I would pick a book to read to him and then put it up and away where he can't read ahead. I'd do that with just ONE read-aloud that is just for "family time". That way he learns to delay gratification and you get to tease the story out some and enjoy it together. The reason why I would continue with the read-alouds, even if he is enjoying finishing things up on his own is that read-alouds will expose him to discussion (and probably pronunciation of harder vocabulary words), etc. that he wouldn't get just reading something himself.

 

I always paused our read-alouds to make comments and things like that which enriched the story. Sometimes we'd even stop reading something long enough to look up online what a specific plant looked like, etc.

[JenneinCA]

I read to my ten year old but not so much to my older kids. The ten year old still enjoys being read to and asks for read aloud time. My oldest actively dislikes being read to (and has since she was about four) and my middle kid is mostly neutral (he has a been that way since about six, when his reading ability caught up with his interests).

 

I read picture books to the youngest at bedtime because he would not choose to read them and they are both beautiful and have good stories. They are also short and there is no issue about sneaking off and finishing the rest of the book. We read the whole book already. The best part is this child is prone to bad dreams and picking cute happy picture books leads to good dreams and a happy child.

 

I am reading a historical fiction book to him as part of school and it is on my iPad where he can't get to it. We read and discuss it as we go. He can't read ahead because he doesn't have access to the book.

[Tracy]

Jim Trelease in his Read-Aloud Handbook says you should continue through high school.  I think it depends on the child.  I have one that loves to be read to, and I will probably always read to her while she lives in my house.  But my other child craves independence.  He reads everything I get for him before I am able to find the time to read to him.  We still read books to him that are beyond his ability to read on his own.  But I suspect that it will not be long before we are not reading to him very much.  

[HS Mom in NC]

When they start college. Obviously the types of books will get increasingly more challenging through Jr. High and High School.

 

Your child can be read aloud to and he can read other things on his own. He won't die if he asks to finish it on his own and you say, "No." Impulse control and delayed gratification can be learned lots of ways.  One delightful way is being read aloud to.

[NancyNellen]

I read out loud to my kids until they graduated and will continue to do so with Otter until he graduates. It's something we all have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. Even my husband likes to listen in sometimes.

 

Edited to add:

Concerning your son picking up where you left off in a book...I would pick a book to read to him and then put it up and away where he can't read ahead. I'd do that with just ONE read-aloud that is just for "family time". That way he learns to delay gratification and you get to tease the story out some and enjoy it together. The reason why I would continue with the read-alouds, even if he is enjoying finishing things up on his own is that read-alouds will expose him to discussion (and probably pronunciation of harder vocabulary words), etc. that he wouldn't get just reading something himself.

 

I always paused our read-alouds to make comments and things like that which enriched the story. Sometimes we'd even stop reading something long enough to look up online what a specific plant looked like, etc.

This is how we do it, too. Family read aloud time is for everyone and no one is ever allowed to read ahead or finish the book.

[SilverMoon]

No one told me there was an age I was supposed to stop? My oldest is in high school and he'll still get quiet so he can hear the next chapter of Narnia. *shrug* :)

[Ellie]

My DS is 6 and I have always read aloud to him. Usually a classic that is interesting to the family as a whole. I just finished reading the whole Oz series to him. What happens now is that when we take breaks between readings, he gets impatient and grabs the current book and finishes it by himself. I am wondering if he wants to read everything by himself and if there is an age when people stop reading to their kids. Or should I just continue reading the book where I left off and have him listen to it once more as I read? He has done this with Treasure Island and Peter Pan before too. I am just now beginning to see the pattern in him saying he read the rest of the book because he wanted to get to the next part of the story immediately. Any suggestions? Thank you.

 

When the dc are too busy reading on their own. :-) I read to older dd until she was probably 9ish; younger dd was often too busy doing her own things to sit down and listen. :-)

[Julie of KY]

I still do family read-alouds with the entire family through high school. My 15 year old will also come snuggle up to listen to whatever I'm reading the younger kids. My 13 year old generally just listens to whatever I'm reading the family but not what I might be reading to the younger ones.

[Arctic Bunny]

I read to the boys before sleep (7 & 9). We always have a book going, usually from a SL core, but whatever comes up as interesting. It may be something I took out for DS9, but turns out to be too challenging, or interesting to both, so it turns into a read aloud. I don't think it's ever occurred to them to finish it on their own, as we would all be disappointed! I would definitely be disappointed, and them him/them know it, and I guess I would explain that it's for our reading time together. My kids know that I read only to a certain time. So if they are in bed at 8:57, likely no story. 8:30? A couple of chapters. 8:00? Lots of time and lots of chapters!

[MotherGoose]

When my dd was about your son's age, I began to joke with her that I was going to "hide" the read aloud so she couldn't read it herself. I also continue to try to find books that are more challenging than her reading level (not easy).

[kiwik]

Unless he is trying to prevent you finishing the book with younger siblings I don't see the problem. You read a chapter, he reads a couple more then the next day you pick up where he was up to. The last book I remember my father reading me was lord of the rings when I was about 10. He probably read 1/5 of it to me at one chapter a night and I read the rest. Ds7 often finishes the book I am reading or reads a few chapters by himself.

[texasmama]

I am still reading aloud to my 13 yo and 11 yo.  No plans to stop.

[Harriet Vane]

My dd is 17yo and still enjoys an occasional read-aloud time.

 

For most books, I really don't mind when they want to read more after I have read aloud first. I will then read aloud from whatever point they want me to read for the next session.

 

There has been the occasional book that I insist remains a read-aloud only. I insisted for Lord of the Rings just for the sheer joy of reading this together. Also the Narnia books. I also insist if a work is unusually difficult.

[Space station]

I am still reading to my 10 & 13 year olds, however my 13 yo doesn't specifically ask me to anymore.  Seems we usually have 2 going now; 1 that is for everyone, and then one that is just snuggle time for me and dd10.

[Another Lynn]

Never. 

 

If *you* want to let him read ahead of you, fine.  It won't hurt him to hear it again!!! 

 

Also, consider that reading aloud can be used to challenge your dc.  IF you have time to read aloud to him alone (without younger siblings), chose something that would be difficult for him to read on his own and read it aloud, just the two of you.  Make him wait until you have time to read it aloud.

 

No matter what, don't stress about it.  Keep reading aloud.  Keep making him join with the rest of you, whether he has read ahead or not.  

 

jmho.   

[HS Mom in NC]

For the record my college kids do still hear dad read aloud sometimes, it's just not a daily thing anymore for them.  Sometimes when he's reading aloud an old favorite of theirs to our youngest they drift in and listen too.

[SemiSweet]

We still read aloud at 11 & 9 and don't intend to stop, pretty much until they move out. I'd probably let them read ahead if they were so inclined but I'd stay where we were in the book.

[KrissiK]

I'm still reading aloud to my kids (6th,5th,3rd). My little girls, of course I read different books. I'm reading Caddie Woodlawn right now to the olders. They love it. I have no intention of quitting any time soon.

[maize]

Read alouds should never stop. My mom continued reading to even my youngest siblings clear through high school, it is wonderful family time. I remember my dad visiting once after I had kids; he was sitting in my living room reading a book and I asked him about it so he started reading it aloud to me. It brought back so many memories, and even as an adult I just really enjoyed sitting and listening to my dad read.

[mathnerd]

Thank you for all the wonderful replies. I love to read aloud and my son loved to hear me read - but he is the type who cannot handle suspense well and gets anxious when I stop the read aloud for the day and he keeps thinking about what might happen in the book. So, he picks it back up and finishes it because he is able to read fluently now. I have never taken a book away from DS (maybe because I grew up with not enough books around) so I have always let my DS finish the read aloud by himself if that was his wish. And then, it made no sense to re-read the same book to him when he had finished it.

I will make an exception and keep the current read aloud off limits to him. I am going to tell him that he could read any other book in the house but he needs to wait and see what happens next in the read aloud during the family reading time.

[Momling]

I just *started* reading aloud to my 10 yr old. She never had the interest or attention span to understand chapter books and is now finally able to! I found her listening in with my 6yr old and she tentatively asked if I would read to her... After 10 years of trying I'd given up. I'm kind of excited. We've been reading The Graveyard book.

[tshirtyogapantmama]

Never. Its the one thing I love to do with my kids. The discussion and rabbit trails we've made together makes it worth while. My kids are 13, 12, and 3. The tot doesn't sit often with us but when he does he even adds things and enjoys the stories as much as he can. I have had a few times when my daughter (12) has wanted to read ahead for a while I allowed her but she didn't want to sit with us and my son (13) has done it to but tends to want to talk about the characters/plot is upsetting to my 12 year old. So a few years ago I made the decision that read -aloud books are together reading and can't be read alone or ahead. I only do this with the book we are currently reading aloud so they always have more to choose from. I do something allow them to ask me to read more and a lot of times I do. Instead of 1 chapter we'll read 2. One day we just keep reading and read the whole book. It was about 100 pages and we still talk about it. 

[ScoutTN]

Never?

Everyone loves a good story! Listening and discussing is a great skill and fun for everyone. Good to listen to others' insights. 

 

When I was in college and then again as a grad student, I often enjoyed the hospitality of families in our church and being included in their RA times was sometimes a part of that. At 20 or 27, I thoroughly enjoyed listening along with the kids!

 

When my oldest was younger, I tried to choose a RA that was over her reading level. She would come back to it as an independent read a year or two later.

That is harder to do now for her, though it still works fine for ds. I do use RAs to introduce them to authors and genres they might not pick up on their own. 

 

 

 

[MistiDelaney]

When they aren't home at night anymore.  :p

[mom2scouts]

I still read to my almost 12 year old.  He does sometimes take the book and finish it himself. Reading aloud sometimes gets him interested in a book that he might not have chosen to read by himself.