New reading behaviour...is this normal?

[A_C]

In the past, DD would LOVE for me to read to her...she could just sit there book after book. I would in fact average reading to her about 30 - 45 minutes a day. Now that she is 2, her attention span has become so limited, we'd be lucky if we finished a book! She just won't stay put anymore. She speaks very well & is quite articulate which her pediatrician has noted as advanced for her age....maybe that has something to do with it as well? Dh and I have also been noticing that DD has placed an interest in reading by herself (she tells us after a while: "Daddy/Mama I want to read by myself"). She literally puts her fingers on the words while I read to her, as if trying to make them out by herself. Since she can identify about half of the letters of the alphabet along with numbers 1-10 I have noticed her really trying to read and she will frequently ask "what does this word say mama?". I so loved reading with DD as much as she absolutely loved being read to...not only was it our down time & opportunity to cuddle but also a very productive 'teaching' time wherein I felt I was actually doing something great for DD, and now I can barely put in 2-5 minutes into our reading time. My concern is to really foster a love for reading (without forcing of course) because I truly believe it can give her so much. I don't want to force the issue and make reading seem like a chore and have her not enjoy it.

I have read & heard that toddlers do have a very limited attention span and start exercising their will and independence around this time as well. But since I have zero exposure in that department, I was wondering if this is indeed typical toddler behaviour....or has she lost her love for reading? Will she read again?
Sighhh...sorry for the silly questions and for rambling on but really I have to probably read more about this toddler phase as I am completely CLUELESS!

TIA

[EllenS]

We're not there yet, but I expect it's probably just a phase and will pass like everything else.  Can you offer her a way to be more actively engaged while reading - like maybe a book that you can read and she can color??

[A_C]

Thanks Ellen...will try to involve her more while reading and see if that will help as well. I'm also thinking of getting Kumon workbooks (or the like) so we have some kind of productive activity (that is also like 'play')...maybe the issue is really me where I feel like I am losing control of my child and our old routine....sigh.

[EmMUK74]

we have had exactly the same and it sounds like she's very similar to Rachel.  she had all her letters by 27 months and could count to 20 by then.  she used to have me read to her over an hour a day and it went down to 5mins tops at about 28 months I guess but it is now back to about 30mins or so (plus before bed stories for 30mins).   she also just wanted to gain the independence of reading herself and would take the books to read in a corner or to her toys or something and would come to me asking me to tell her what a word said.  I assumed she wasn't actually reading but imagine my surprise when she suddenly could read about a dozen words!!  and now she's started pre-school they have seen that she can read over 20 words and likes to do so. 

anyway so I have decided that if she loves reading so much then we will do what she wants; when she wants to read alone I pull out a book and read as well - shows her how great I think it is to read.  when she asks me what a word is I help her work it out phonetically rather than telling her which means she's now able to get more words on her own.  I bought some fantastic pure phonetic books (by Usbourne - every word can be phonetically worked out - e.g. frog on a log) which she loves to read and have amazing pictures and stories.  and I found out how they will teach reading at school so at least I make sure anything I am giving her is in line with that.

it's amazing, what was a huge shame to loose has become a great time for me to do some of my own reading.  and it also makes my reading to her time fab because we go for more advanced stories which capture her attention better.  and she is learning on her own initiative.

hth

[A_C]

Thank you sooo much! Sophia seems just like Rachel. My real concern is for Sophia not to lose her desire for reading, I believe it has helped her so much with her reading, speech etc. I will also look up those phonetic books you mentioned...thank you so much! Incidentally have you tried or heard about any of those Kumon work books at all? and you are right...it does allow for us to read on our own...and it is really better to lead by example....so if she sees us reading it will hopefully have some influence by making it a part of her day to day activity.