4 year old messing about when reading..

[Spottycup]

Our 4 year old DD started school in sep and is doing well so far with her letters etc.. Her teachers are pleased with her etc but we seem to be having a problem with her reading at home.
They get a different book everyday and have to read it after school then take it back to change the next day. At first she was reading them fine and trying to figure out the letter/word if she didn't know it.. But this past week she's just been messing around, pretending she doesn't know a letter when she does, looking around the room, fidgeting etc. it's been taking an hour to finish reading a book.

My OH suggested last night we only spend 30mins doing her reading book and it doesn't matter if she doesn't finish it.

She learning a lot in school and doing the work/reading properly but doesn't seem to want to do any of it at home which is disappointing as we want to help her to learn and do homework at home.

I also know she's still young and isn't 5 until Feb and don't want to feel like it's a punishment to read/do work out of school but I don't know.

 

[New Mrs W]

That sounds like a hell of a lot of reading your poor LO has to do. I'm a primary school teacher and our children take two books home each week (both on the same day) and return them the following week to change them. We'd like to think the parents would listen to them reading three times a week. Every night is too much for a four year old, particularly to read a whole book. I know their books are small but it's a big effort.
My son has also just started school this September and he has some handwriting homework each night. He has to write three lines of that day's letter. On top of that he gets one reading book a week at the moment. He flies through the reading book but the handwriting can be stressful. I honestly think it's too much to expect four and five year olds to work all day at school and then come home and do loads more work. I even think your OH'a suggestion of no more than half an hour is too much. You are her mummy, not her teacher. Ask if she wants to do it, try to persuade her but if she really doesn't want to then don't force her. You will only end up with greater homework problems further down the line. In a few years she'll understand the importance of homework more and will be able to take responsibility herself if she doesn't do it.

Even though I'm part of the system myself, I honestly think that schools expect too much of tiny people (although in turn the government expects too much of schools, but that's another story . . .) xx

 

[sabby52]

Thats a lot of reading for a 4 year old, My son didnt even get a reading book until he was 5 years 3 months old and then it was just a picture book with no words, I think he was about 5 and a half before he got a book with words. Even now at 8 he only gets 2 books a week, he gets them on a Monday and hands them back on a Thursday, he is in the highest group for reading and reads at the level of a 10-11 year old, the lower groups only get 1 book a week sometimes the same book for two weeks.

 

[alibaba24]

I think the issue may be how long your expecting her to do reading for id say 15 minutes Max for a child this age and if she doesn't want to do it don't force her she will learn all these things in school too so what your doing is a lot on top of her school day

 

[Neko]

In the US formal schooling starts at age 5 (kindergarten). So while I pay to send my DD to school for Pre-K, we are not given reading/writing homework to take home. The only homework she has is every week we cut out 5 things that start with the letter of the week.

I think 15-20 minutes is plenty to make her concentrate on a homework assignment at your child's age. The rule of thumb here is 10 minutes + 10 minutes per grade. So kindergarten would be given no more than 10 minutes of work to complete at home.

 

[suzib76]

Have you time to do reading in the morning? we often have to do Lana's homework in the mornings as after school (plus dancing/gymnastics/football) she is just too tired to focus well enough so we just let her chill. She was 5 in January and is still really tired in the evenings and just mucks about when we try reading etc.

 

[OmarsMum]

I'd keep reading for bedtime as a routine, you can read a page & you mess around & let her correct you. 1 book per day as a homework is too much, DS is in primary one, he gets a book twice a week for English as homework, 1 library book of his choice for him or us to read, and 1 Arabic book as homework.

 

[george83]

I agree with all pp's that it does seem a lot of reading each night so it's no wonder she's struggling. My lo is just learning his sounds and I'm lucky if he's interested for ten minutes at a time. If we have time in the morning I try to do it then but that's usually just reading and writing his sounds. If we do it in the evening I try to make it more fun for him by playing games etc if he's cooperating

 

[DCS]

DS is 4.5. He is in reception. He gets a new book Monday and Thursday. His teachers suggested we spend 15 minutes a night doing reading, letters and numbers. 5 minutes on each. He is squally desperate for dinner once we get home so he sits at the table and does 5 minutes of pre cursive, 5 minutes of numbers, in the tkme it takes me to dish up dinner and for it to cool. We don't force him, he will usually do a few letters and get bored and move onto numbers. Or just do numbers. We just go with the flow.
With reading, we do this after dinner/ before bed. Some days he is willing to read the whole book, others he asks to do every other page, some days I point at random words and that's all he reads.

I think an hours a bit too much.

 

[AP]

I would agree with the others, its too much each night.

 

[Jchihuahua]

I teach reception. An hour is definitely too much. 10-15 minutes would be the maximum I would recommend and if your child isn't keen then don't push it as it will just cause her to feel anxious about it and not enjoy it or want to do it anymore.

 

[Boomerslady]

A book a night seems a lot to me. Ben has 2 books a week. He refuses to read at home, he will run away, scream, get angry, he just will not do it if I suggest it. Very rarely he wants to but it's once in a blue moon. His teacher said a lot of kids can be like this, they spend all day learning and once they're home just want to play.

He does however try to read anything he can when we are out and about, so I encourage him that way, what signs say, shop names etc. if he thinks it's for his benefit and he's not doing enforced learning he's ok!!

 

[Spottycup]

Thanks for the replys we just presumed they have to read the whole book as they change it each day and it says in the news letter to read with our child every night and do 10mins of letters and numbers. Sophie was reading/trying fine before the half term week off.

Me and OH Are now going to read with Sophie 15mins max and see how we get on. X

 

[noon_child]

I think they give books so that you have the option if LO is excited and wants to do it, or so that if they don't like the look of one book it will be different the next day. I don't think they expect her to read the whole thing every night herself. Reading TO your child is very valuable on its own, but some people just don't have the books available or wouldn't think to do it so your school is creating an opportunity, not a mandatory assignment (and if they say it is mandatory then tell them where to go!).

I have read on a lot of school reader type books "Stop before your child gets tired." If you are forcing it when she's tired and ratty she'll just learn to hate books.

 

[caz_hills]

My son is the same a before Christmas he was really into reading and we did some every night. But since Xmas he won't read at all. It's a chore every time we try. So we have pulled right back and only try every few days. Today we got through a book without any moaning so that was good.

I'd welcome any tips! He started reception too in September and is a July baby so very young for the class x