How to inspire a child to read?
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Re: How to inspire a child to read?
We've just never had the TV on pre-breakfast during the week, apart from a while when whichever of ours were of an age for us to be very grateful to Channel 4 for putting Hoobs on at about 6am so that I could get ready in peace to leave for my train at 6.50, leaving DH to scoop then up and off to nursery half an hour later. However, horrified as I know that you guys will all be, other than that and yes, with the proviso that what needs to be done, gets done, we really don't restrict 'screen time' to a huge extent. All of ours are good at 'essay' subjects; it depends on what they are doing 'on screen' to a certain extent, doesn't it? DS1 did sciences and maths A levels, but somewhere along the way in the time he was 'wasting', amongst other things he learnt more about the history and development of languages than many a formal student of philology would be able to tell you, just because it interests him and the existence of the Internet (and mum and dad's free WiFi 
) facilitated that. And yes, our kids all have friends, get out and do exercise and even occasionally indulge in conversation with us.
Yes, there are bad things out there, but seriously, if your DC need to know something which you can't answer, do you actually say to them, 'Well, the library is closed now, so you can't go and get a book out to assist you and yes, I know you could look the answer up on the Internet, but it's gone 7pm now and anyway, you've already had this week's twenty minutes screen time', just because they might try to sneak in half an hour's Minecraft while they are at it?
) facilitated that. And yes, our kids all have friends, get out and do exercise and even occasionally indulge in conversation with us.Yes, there are bad things out there, but seriously, if your DC need to know something which you can't answer, do you actually say to them, 'Well, the library is closed now, so you can't go and get a book out to assist you and yes, I know you could look the answer up on the Internet, but it's gone 7pm now and anyway, you've already had this week's twenty minutes screen time', just because they might try to sneak in half an hour's Minecraft while they are at it?
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: How to inspire a child to read?
My dc spend far too long on the computer/iPads/tablets/phones.
I'm considering isolating the power supply to their bedrooms as well as turning the wifi off - but that's not easy. I do restrict them but I cannot stop them.
They spend far more than an hour on these. My dd2 who loves reading, still reads ... but also spends time on her tablet, mostly Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, texting. They all use it for homework too, which is often their excuse to go online, but I don't police them well enough.
Ds2 - who now reads - will only read in the evening. He is addicted to Minecraft. I'm very glad we don't have an xBox because friends tell me they're worse than just our computer.
It's a big problem. When we book our summer holiday, we always take care to find a property without Wifi. They become nicer children, play games, and even talk to each other.
But how can I comment when I am on here now? I too use this for work. It is a big problem in our household. I'm so impressed when I read - no television, an hour - or no computer - a day. You are better parents than we are! Surely I'm not the only parent whose children are online or playing games for more than an hour a day? I feel bad even telling you!
Advice?
I'm considering isolating the power supply to their bedrooms as well as turning the wifi off - but that's not easy. I do restrict them but I cannot stop them.
They spend far more than an hour on these. My dd2 who loves reading, still reads ... but also spends time on her tablet, mostly Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, texting. They all use it for homework too, which is often their excuse to go online, but I don't police them well enough.
Ds2 - who now reads - will only read in the evening. He is addicted to Minecraft. I'm very glad we don't have an xBox because friends tell me they're worse than just our computer.
It's a big problem. When we book our summer holiday, we always take care to find a property without Wifi. They become nicer children, play games, and even talk to each other.
But how can I comment when I am on here now? I too use this for work. It is a big problem in our household. I'm so impressed when I read - no television, an hour - or no computer - a day. You are better parents than we are! Surely I'm not the only parent whose children are online or playing games for more than an hour a day? I feel bad even telling you!
Advice?
Re: How to inspire a child to read?
Well of course not, if they need to look something up that's not screen time, that's research! But yes, I'd be around. So they wouldnt sneak a half hour on minecraft while they were at it, that would come in screen time later on.ToadMum wrote: Yes, there are bad things out there, but seriously, if your DC need to know something which you can't answer, do you actually say to them, 'Well, the library is closed now, so you can't go and get a book out to assist you and yes, I know you could look the answer up on the Internet, but it's gone 7pm now and anyway, you've already had this week's twenty minutes screen time', just because they might try to sneak in half an hour's Minecraft while they are at it?
Re: How to inspire a child to read?
Ginx, I am on here now becAuse it is one of the boys' hour "on". At the weekend w operate an 'hour on hour off' policy. It's horrible. It means we have to be the policemen, the boys accept it but think it's daft. But honestly? I don't know what else to do. I know because we've tried it before that any kind of freedom means that at least one if not both of them would do screens dawn til dusk and would try to kid us that they'd had an hour outside when actually it was 10 minutes! This way they get up to 6 hours on each weekend day, whcih I hate! But at least they also get up to 6 hours doing other things, reading, lego, trampoline, playing games, football, rugby even. So we have to settle for that. In general they do not moan, they may think it's daft but they accept it and come off when asked, knowing they'll be back on in an hour. They also have rugby on Sunday in season and trampolining on Saturday, so bit of a break.ginx wrote:My dc spend far too long on the computer/iPads/tablets/phones.
I'm considering isolating the power supply to their bedrooms as well as turning the wifi off - but that's not easy. I do restrict them but I cannot stop them.
They spend far more than an hour on these. My dd2 who loves reading, still reads ... but also spends time on her tablet, mostly Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, texting. They all use it for homework too, which is often their excuse to go online, but I don't police them well enough.
Ds2 - who now reads - will only read in the evening. He is addicted to Minecraft. I'm very glad we don't have an xBox because friends tell me they're worse than just our computer.
It's a big problem. When we book our summer holiday, we always take care to find a property without Wifi. They become nicer children, play games, and even talk to each other.
But how can I comment when I am on here now? I too use this for work. It is a big problem in our household. I'm so impressed when I read - no television, an hour - or no computer - a day. You are better parents than we are! Surely I'm not the only parent whose children are online or playing games for more than an hour a day? I feel bad even telling you!
Advice?
And yes, at the weekend myself and dh also operate a policy of only going on when they boys do, even though it's probably a fraction of the time, because we have to model. But it's a pain yes, and it does take time and effort to police, and that's further than some people are prepared to go. Not sure how long we will need to do this.......
As for holidays, dh leaves his phone at home, we take two nokia bricks for texting and being in touch, but no facebook , no tablets, even for the journey, complete screen holiday so doesn't matter if wifi or not.
Re: How to inspire a child to read?
Playing devil's advocate here, so don't shoot me, but what if over the Easter holidays you gave them free choice to do what ever they wanted??? (Obviously within reason!)
We're pretty soft on our house 'rules' but usually mine will find something else to do after an hour or so of anything - reading, screens, football, cooking ...
Just thought it might be an interesting experiment ... And, no Ginx, we're none of us better parents, just muddling along the best we can like everyone else
JD
We're pretty soft on our house 'rules' but usually mine will find something else to do after an hour or so of anything - reading, screens, football, cooking ...
Just thought it might be an interesting experiment ... And, no Ginx, we're none of us better parents, just muddling along the best we can like everyone else
JD
Re: How to inspire a child to read?
Hi JD, we did try this, and what we got was hours on screen followed by a "ok mum I'm taking a break now!", outside for 20 ,i mutes then back on the screen "no, that was an hour mum, not 20 minutes!" Eye roll eye roll. Meanwhile the sun shines And the trampoline remains unused.JamesDean wrote:Playing devil's advocate here, so don't shoot me, but what if over the Easter holidays you gave them free choice to do what ever they wanted??? (Obviously within reason!)
We're pretty soft on our house 'rules' but usually mine will find something else to do after an hour or so of anything - reading, screens, football, cooking ...
Just thought it might be an interesting experiment ... And, no Ginx, we're none of us better parents, just muddling along the best we can like everyone else
JD
Re: How to inspire a child to read?
Hi all,
All very interesting points and sorry I derailed the conversation about reading. There are many threads about screen time and of course we mean mainly computer games not educational viewing or research.
Please note that we are all different and some children can self regulate and still manage to live balanced lives with plenty of sleep, time for studying, outdoor activities and have good social skills. It does seem however, that those children are in the minority. If you have children like that, you are lucky! For the rest of us, well, it's difficult.
I find that education rather than prohibition seems to work better with us. I tell my children about the pros and cons of gaming, etc. I also say that if they still have not got the self control to stop, then that I have to help them. Not an easy job, but one they will hopefully thank me for in future.
Back to the reading issue, my eldest is enjoying the Time Riders series.
All very interesting points and sorry I derailed the conversation about reading. There are many threads about screen time and of course we mean mainly computer games not educational viewing or research.
Please note that we are all different and some children can self regulate and still manage to live balanced lives with plenty of sleep, time for studying, outdoor activities and have good social skills. It does seem however, that those children are in the minority. If you have children like that, you are lucky! For the rest of us, well, it's difficult.
I find that education rather than prohibition seems to work better with us. I tell my children about the pros and cons of gaming, etc. I also say that if they still have not got the self control to stop, then that I have to help them. Not an easy job, but one they will hopefully thank me for in future.
Back to the reading issue, my eldest is enjoying the Time Riders series.
