My Fourteen Month Old Will Not Be Still Long Enough To Let Me Read To Her. Help!?

Question

I want to start reading to my fourteen month old daughter so that she will be very smart. I have bought toddler books and a leap-pad. When I try to sit down and read to her she lets me hold her for about two minutes and then she's getting back down to play. Any suggestions on what I can do to hold her attention long enough to read to her.

Answer 1

Do it before bed, or when she is feeling tired

Answer 2

Even two minutes is great. I work with young children and a lot of people do not realize the importance of reading to them. Congrats on that. Read to her for as long as she will let you. The older she gets the longer that time will be. Another way would be to read to her before she goes to sleep. This is a time she needs to be still anyway and you could make it more fun by reading to her. This makes a great bedtime ritual. Reading to a toddler is not always reading the words. Sometimes just point out pictures. Sometimes ask questions about the pictures. I seldom read a story the same way twice to a toddler. Once they get older then reading word for word is important so that she can learn to recognize words. Whatever you do, don't force it. Don't make her hate reading. Have fun!

Answer 3

My daughter used to love for me to read to her. Now she won't sit still. So I just read out loud while she's playing. Eventually, she makes her way over to see what Mommy is so excited about. I read very animatedly.

Also, try letting her read to you. Let her pick the book and then let her turn the pages and describe the pictures on each page. Don't worry if she skips pages. I usually do it right before bedtime when she's a little more tired.

BTW, if you're just worried about increasing her vocabulary... You can do that by talking all the time. I used to talk and describe what I was doing as I combed my hair, cooked dinner or washed clothes. Kids love that stuff and they're learning at the same time.

Answer 4

Perhaps some of the others have given the same advice I'm going to give. I'm a parent myself, though he's not a baby anymore. He's a teenager. I suggest that you don't force it, but don't stop it either. Reading is very important and believe it or not, very young children are indeed getting something out of it. The pictures they see are an experience themselves and contributes to brain development(that's a whole other subject in itself). I suggest that you make the reading session more fun. Use different voices when you read. Choose books full of color and large pictures. Books that have texture to them such as soft covers, soft characters, scratchy and bumpy rocks, smooth flower petals, etc. Act out some of what you are reading if that helps. If she is still not interested, try reading to her after she's played or during meals or before bedtime. Just keep trying and don't give up. Pretty soon, you will have her attention.

Answer 5

14 month old children do not sit and listen to a book for the length of it. My suggestion, if you'd like to incorprate reading is at bed time, tell short (and I mean 1-2 minutes) stories to her. Make this routine. Eventually with age, you can start reading books. Leave books out so she sees them, but do not force her to sit and listen the entire time - it may have the reverse effect and she won't want to enage in reading because she was forced to sit still the entire time. Play have fun!

When you do things outside, or are driving - always point out signs and things that have words. Say "this sign says STOP". This sign means "No Smoking". Do this everywhere you go. She will take an interest in words, what they mean, and this all can lead to reading, and you reading to her.

Answer 6

That's a pretty average attention span at that age. The rule of thumb is that kids can sit still for about 1 minute for every year of age. So if you get 2 minutes from her during the day, that's about right.

The best time to read is after a bath by creating "cuddle time". At this point, don't worry so much about "reading" to her as much as about flipping the pages and talking to her about the pictures. Let the books catch her interest. She learns from your voice and your interest. If you curl her up in your lap in her pajamas and just let her look at things and ohhh and ahhhh over them, she'll get interested. Have 2-3 books handy and let her pick the one for the night. Eventually, she'll understand what you're trying to accomplish (focusing on the books and spending time cuddling) and her interest will be kept a little longer. Once the pattern's set, it's easier to get her interested.

Answer 7

It is not appropriate to expect a fourteen month old to sit while you read to them. This is not the way to help her become smart. Kids know what they need in order to learn and grow, and your daughter obviously needs to play. Looking at words is not the only way to learn to read! Think of all the things a child needs to know before they can read or write: the names of objects, people, feelings, places. Concentrate on filling her "bucket" of knowledge, and make sure she sees you reading for pleasure. Kids receive way too much pressure to be smart in our society, and this pressure creates more problems than I can name. Love your child, spend time with her, take her places, talk with her constantly, tell her what you are doing and why. These things will create a smart AND happy child.

Answer 8

My son is the same way. I do two things, 1) I let him play if he wants during our reading time, BUT I read to him while he plays. 2) I try to also read to him when he goes to bed. that way he gets it in somewhere. Also since you have a leap pad for her you play with it and make it seem sssssssssooooooooooo cool she'll come over and want to play with it. then you make a game out of it . If she wants to wander off to play with some else let her then get her attention again. My son loves his now .

Answer 9

Maybe you should involve her in the reading. Ask her to hold the book for you while you read it and turn the pages for you. Don't read to her for more than 15 minutes IF that. Too much for that age. She needs to be active. Also, if you read to her when it's her bed time at night, she will be calmer and will get used to that routine and it will get better every time you do. Just have it on schedule every time so she will anticipate and expect it. Children do soooooo much better when they have a reliable schedule. They always know whats coming next. Very comforting to them. Good luck!

Answer 10

Sit on the floor with her and the books and leap pad around her. Start with short periods of time, if you force her to sit still while you read you will only encourage her to associate reading with something she doesn't like to do. Trust me I went through this with my son, do not force it. Just read to her while she plays. She is still very young and has plenty of time to do things you want her to do. Let her go at her own pace with a little encouragement.

Answer 11

My son is 22 months and does the same thing. My husband and I both try to read to him and he get's antsy. On a good day I might make it 1/2 way through a book. Don't fret about it. Eventually if you keep at it and make it a routine, like after their nightly bath as part of a bedtime ritual they will look forward to it. My son will be going into his first "big boy bed ( twin bed) sometime before the bext baby is born in Dec and I plan on laying with him and reading to him at night.