Hellobee Boards

We treat it as two separate things. Ellie reads SO much throughout the day-- she's basically at a point where she could read to herself anything that we might read aloud to her, but we feel that hearing adults read with fluency is still a wonderful thing for her on so many levels. At bedtime we have supper, she and Lorelei take a short bath, she brushes teeth (usually with Mr. T) and then one of us will read to her for about 30 minutes before lights out. And we don't kid ourselves that she doesn't read to herself some before actually falling asleep.

I think it's great to let him read to you some, as well. If he's enjoying it you certainly could incorporate that into your routine. I try to take any and all "work" out of reading because it can be such an intensely pleasant activity and I hope for both girls that they make lifelong friends with books and with learning.

Was also just going to mention that you don't have to feel restricted in what you read aloud. Just as adults sometimes like some variety, kids do, too. Ellie still loves picture books, and it's quite often that I will be sandwiched between both kids on the sofa reading something or other aloud. I'd just continue to help him have access to books of all kinds that might be interesting to him. We supplement regular library trips with me checking for books that I think might appeal to Ellie on goodreads or Amazon and then requesting those via inter-library loan. Sometimes they go over well, sometimes not so much.

D just wanted to do all the reading once he could. Now, in second grade, he's reading chapter books to himself at bedtime.

My DS prefers that I read to him and I am fine with that - he is tired at bedtime and just wants to sit in my lap and relax

It's important to practice reading, for sure! But you should at home make reading mostly pleasurable. Read the stories to him, and ask him comprehension questions, this will really help him "get" reading. Reading is only half words, the rest is thinking, and if he doesn't learn to think about what he's reading, he'll grow up to dislike reading.

It doesn't matter if you're reading him a chapter book, what's important is that he sees you reading and you ask him about the story and talk about it. He can visualize ANY story!

Try 1-2 books at his level or lower so they're easy and not frustrating, then co-reading, you read, then he reads. Keep your fingers on the words so they can read along. Talk about the pictures, your personal connections (this reminds me of, hey I have a boat, etc), and the sequence of events (A happened so then b happened).