bedtime stories

[HJL]

Hi
My twin girls are almost 10 months old. Since they were newborns i loved reading to them. I would just strap them in their bouncy chairs and read them a few stories. Ever since they became mobile (since around 6 months + ) i haven't read to them much. They don't like being confined into chairs anymore, and they are extremely active little munkeys!  I've tried reading them a few little board books, but they both end up clamoring all over me and trying to grab the books away from me. Just wondering how other moms read their little ones bedtime stories. Do you just plop them in their cribs and read to them from a distance? I've tried holding one in my lap on the rocker while reading, but again she just keeps grabbing the book away from me. The last few times, I;ve just placed both in their cribs (they are in the same room and the cribs are side by side) and read to them from a distance. I usually can't get through a story though because during their wind down, one or the other may fuss a bit and i need to stop what i'm doing to comfort for a second. I love books and reading and want to share in this time with my daughters so i want to find out how other moms do bedtime stories.

thanks

[Jaime]

hi,

seems to me that right around that age i did have to stop reading stories.  only temporarily though!  i did kind of what you describe - just kind of sit with them & a book, and let them look/play with it for a little while.  it just got too frustrating for me to try & read when they didn't want to sit & listen, kwim?  this way, we could still enjoy the books together at least. 

i'm not sure when i started reading again to either of them.  #2 is 19 months & i know we've been reading to him for a couple months now. 

[mumto5cuddlebugs]

I love stories too! My lo's also went through phases of grabbing the books we were trying to read, i found that reading bedtime stories while lo lying in cot worked as they could not reach it. I also put all of the really short baby books to one side and if i wanted to try and actually read a story all the way through i would choose one of those. I would let lo take book of me to look at it and then try and rescue it back and continue the story, sometimes using a silly voice would get them concentrating again.
Don't worry it is only temporary, you will be able to read a whole story with your lo's again soon.

[Erin M]

Definitely only temporary. 
A few thoughts for you:
It might help if you gave them their own books to look at while you read them a different one. 

Try memorizing one of the shorter stories too, you can just recite it to them while they are in their cribs or while they're on your lap (if they'll hold still for you) -- the sound and rhythm of language are just as important now (probably more important) than the actual turning of pages and looking at words. 

[Harrisonsmummy]

DH has always done bedtime stories, but he did (and still does) sit on our bed nestle H under his arm and used to hold the book at arms length while going through the "grabbing" phase. H could see the pictures and move around, but the story was relatively uninterrupted!

[EmMUK74]

we do daytime reading where we start sitting together and I read the book whilst she turns the pages (too fast normally) and I try to figure it out.  or perhaps she snatches the book away and goes through it herself or perhaps she gets bored.  but all this seems positive to me because we are doing books and she is interested.

and then we do bedtime reading.  this is very different.  we put her into the cot and then we read to her something more grown up like wind in the willows or winnie the pooh, at this time it's more about winding down and having a soothing story.

hth

[MrsKirky]

I am trying really hard to get DS to listen to stories (since he was about 6 months).  Before that, I read them, but not every day...like 3-4 times a week?  Problem is that he won't sit still long enough for any type of story.  I usually end up reading the rest of the story to the room!  We already have a hard time with bedtime...he is very much in love with sleep and hates anything that delays him getting to it when he's tired!  I tried starting earlier for bedtime so we could squeeze in a story, but he ends up wanting to go to sleep as soon as he can then, too!  Any other suggestions?  I bought the baby einstein videos, too, and he will watch for a couple of minutes.  I am not worried about his attention span, BTW.  He can do the same thing for a long time when he is interested in it!  We have leap frog, tons and tons of books - cloth, hard, board, noisy, interactive, classic and contemporary...I really am trying!

[mommyOFtwins]

HI

I have twin girls also (5mos) and they too grab, hit at the book and try to eat it. But what i've done is the following (they're not that active/mobile yet though)

- read to them on my lap as part of a wind down b4 a nap...i find they are quieter, less stimulated and will sit in my lap. Or even right after they've eaten to digest a little b4 playing.  Perhaps you can find the time when they just want to be held or are quiet and then you can read to them.

-for bedtime, i put them both in the cribs (side by side-same room) and i read out loud and pause to show them the page w/pictures and point at some stuff.  Sometimes, i put them in the same crib (on their back) and read to them, so they can see both my face and the pages of the book.

-during the day, the easiest way i find reading to them is both putting them on their tummies side by side and putting the book on the floor in arms reach.  They hit and drool on the pages but at least they see it and i'm reading out loud.

-if they both won't stand still.  I basically let them play e.g. one on he bouncer and the other in a exersaucer and i grab a book and start reading and showing them the pictures/pages (like story time).  Sometimes they stop and listen but it oculd be b/c i'm making my voice do different voices and noices e.g. she banged at the door....then i'd say bang bang.  I've even sang nursery rhymes to them.

Good luck!!!