About 2 months ago I started reading the only child-oriented novel I have in the house, The Tale of Despereaux. I got it while rummaging through a used book section at the local maternity / baby consignment store. (No, we don't trade in our babies - we trade in baby stuff).
Simone liked it a lot! But she didn't seem to be remembering what was going on. This is another example of my adult mind expecting too much from my little girl's still growing mind. I've been an adult so long and have been used to memorizing what I've just heard that I forget that it took a while to gain these skills. I would be reading about different characters and she would ask questions such as "Who's that?" "That's the bad guy Roscuro." "Who's Roscuro?"
I became quite frustrated. It was partially the expectation factor and the other part was being tired at the end of the day, the time I would read aloud to her. But I thought it had to be something else! So I started looking at other books that might be appropriate for her attention span.
I tried Usborne's Illustrated Stories for Boys (I got it for Max, but it's fun for Simone too!) and she still asked questions like "Who's that guy?" "That's Sinbad." "Who's Sinbad?" Ay-yai-yai!
I turned to professional help and skimmed through The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Armed with ideas, I tried to get some books at the library. Operative word: tried. Max and Simone were so squirrely that I turned to the librarian for quick help instead of just looking for what I had on my list. "I need something more advanced than picture books, but not as long as Despereaux." She picked up a couple of suggestions for my situation and we came home with The Stories Julian Tells and Jenny and the Cat Club. They weren't on my list but I was in a hurry with my whining kids making so much noise in an environment that is supposed to be quiet!
Last night I eagerly started reading Jenny and the Cat Club to Simone. It's a book that has lots of cute pictures and is not too long. I tested her after 2 paragraphs to see if she was listening. She wasn't, or at least she wasn't owning up to it. Maybe she was too scared to answer based on the look on my face. Maybe she could tell I had a lot of hope riding on her answer. Maybe that shut her down. I read just a little longer and we went to bed.
Extremely disappointed and lost as to what to do, I read the Read Aloud book again - this time with much more concentration. Hey, maybe Simone gets her lack of comprehension from me! My goal is to find out how important it is that Simone is understanding what's going on. Turns out it isn't. You read to your infant even though they don't even know words, right!? In fact, one of the "DON'Ts" is to not quiz your child about what was read. D'oh! I was doing it all incorrectly!
Simone later that night was up because of a low-grade fever. I read to her again and it went so smoothly! She asked obvious questions but I just answered them anyway without irritation in my voice.
Sigh ... I have some relief again that I'm not messing up my kids' development!
Simone liked it a lot! But she didn't seem to be remembering what was going on. This is another example of my adult mind expecting too much from my little girl's still growing mind. I've been an adult so long and have been used to memorizing what I've just heard that I forget that it took a while to gain these skills. I would be reading about different characters and she would ask questions such as "Who's that?" "That's the bad guy Roscuro." "Who's Roscuro?"I became quite frustrated. It was partially the expectation factor and the other part was being tired at the end of the day, the time I would read aloud to her. But I thought it had to be something else! So I started looking at other books that might be appropriate for her attention span.
I tried Usborne's Illustrated Stories for Boys (I got it for Max, but it's fun for Simone too!) and she still asked questions like "Who's that guy?" "That's Sinbad." "Who's Sinbad?" Ay-yai-yai!
I turned to professional help and skimmed through The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Armed with ideas, I tried to get some books at the library. Operative word: tried. Max and Simone were so squirrely that I turned to the librarian for quick help instead of just looking for what I had on my list. "I need something more advanced than picture books, but not as long as Despereaux." She picked up a couple of suggestions for my situation and we came home with The Stories Julian Tells and Jenny and the Cat Club. They weren't on my list but I was in a hurry with my whining kids making so much noise in an environment that is supposed to be quiet!Last night I eagerly started reading Jenny and the Cat Club to Simone. It's a book that has lots of cute pictures and is not too long. I tested her after 2 paragraphs to see if she was listening. She wasn't, or at least she wasn't owning up to it. Maybe she was too scared to answer based on the look on my face. Maybe she could tell I had a lot of hope riding on her answer. Maybe that shut her down. I read just a little longer and we went to bed.
Extremely disappointed and lost as to what to do, I read the Read Aloud book again - this time with much more concentration. Hey, maybe Simone gets her lack of comprehension from me! My goal is to find out how important it is that Simone is understanding what's going on. Turns out it isn't. You read to your infant even though they don't even know words, right!? In fact, one of the "DON'Ts" is to not quiz your child about what was read. D'oh! I was doing it all incorrectly!Simone later that night was up because of a low-grade fever. I read to her again and it went so smoothly! She asked obvious questions but I just answered them anyway without irritation in my voice.
Sigh ... I have some relief again that I'm not messing up my kids' development!
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