Is it common for a 6-year-old child to read a short novel?

[mad?]

Your friend obviously feels very competitive with you or else why mention it to you? What relevance does what her child does have for you, unless it's to try and make her feel good and you bad (which it seems to gave succeeded in doing)? There are always mums who love telling other people what genius kids they have. ).

Sound advice, I would never have told and of DDs' friends this, one way or the other, even if asked I would dodge the question as I cannot see an innocent reason for asking!

[southbucks3]

The second hand book and toy fair at school is always brilliant to serve on, for people watching fun alone! Child looks through dog eared picture books, annuals, etc...mum collects together a stack of longer novels, in pristine condition. It's also amazing how many children need 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles to keep them going..lol! Mine used to love doing the 100- 200 bit puzzles, ten or twenty minutes of pure fun.

I was a prolific young reader, hate to say it but I am no linguist and hate maths. guess the report was not written about me!

Op, I hope we have all put your mind at rest.

[kenyancowgirl]

OP...the simple answer to a comment like that is an airy, "Oh, that's lovely....bless them, hopefully they'll pick up a bit. Mine is just tackling War and Peace...."!! That is to say, the comment to you is meaningless and unnecessary as the only person it is important to is that child's mother.

As someone earlier said, never compare your child to others as children develop at different rates - reading is a real skill - it's not just following the lines but understanding the words and nuances and taking time to think about what the author meant or what a charter felt. Time spent on those picture books with no words can develop a child's creative thinking and empathy as well as story structure. That isn't to say the 6 year old hasn't done all this but concentrate on giving your child the best grounding you can, whilst letting them enjoy reading for reading pleasure.

[fantasyvn2008]

Thank you so much for your kind replies and wise advice. I feel better now, and will try to do my best to encourage the child to read.

[Tinkers]

DD only just developed her love of reading at 6, the Rainbow magic books. She loved them and read loads of them. No short novels until much later.

[fatbananas]

OP...the simple answer to a comment like that is an airy, "Oh, that's lovely....bless them, hopefully they'll pick up a bit. Mine is just tackling War and Peace...."!! .

And while that is being digested, with a wave of the hand, dismissively utter "in the original Russian, naturally ..," pat her arm sympathetically, and walk off.

[Peridot]

I definitely agree with other posters here. It sounds to me as if the other mother is just showing off, to be honest. I love kcg and fatbananas' suggestions!

My DD did learn to read quite early, but having mastered the basics she clearly decided that was enough, she'd done that and would turn her attention to something else more fun. Definitely no novels at the age of 6. She showed no hint at all of being academically bright until around the end of year 3/beginning of year 4 when she suddenly decided school was interesting and her brain started to fizz with the excitement of learning.

My point being, as other posters have said, all children develop at different rates, and there is no point comparing them at such a young age.

[mystery]

I would say that anyone who describes the kind of book that even the most advanced 6 year old might read as "a novel" is most likely boastful or lying.

As well as parents who hold up their children as genii throughout primary school there are some teachers who do the same and who might also label your child as not able. I have experienced all of these things in shovel loads. They were all wrong.

Enjoy reading with your child. Enjoy watching your child enjoy books. It's one of the best bits of childhood and having children in my view.

The best thing you can develop while your children are at primary school is a very tough skin and the determination to just carry on and do whatever you think is right with your child in spite of what anyone else might say.

[ToadMum]

Don't shoot me - I'm sure you know your friends best, but are you sure that she is telling you this to boast about her child / unsettle you regarding your child's capabilities? You did actually describe her as a friend, after all.

I'm not sure exactly how old DS1 and his friend were at the time, but I think it was a couple of months into year 2, so yes, age 6. One evening I took the two of them to our local library; the friend was just about managing a 'Wibbly Pig' story, DS1 sitting reading something - probably on the subject of dinosaurs, about which from an early age he could tell you everything you had never wanted to know, and more - from the children's Reference section. It would never have occurred to me to say to the other lad's mum that I thought her child was rather backward, but at the same time, I wouldn't have felt that I could not speak truthfully about DS1's reading skills had the topic come up.

[mystery]

It's the word "novel" that makes me think it's a bit pretentious at the very least.

And what's a picture book anyhow? There are some illustrated children's books with very flowery language verging on erudite.