Struggling SO much with reading aloud!

[mylittlewomen]

I am so discouraged...My daughter is 6.5, and we are doing LHFHG for 1st grade. (My younger daughter, who is 4.5 is doing it with us, with phonics at her level) I LOVE this curriculum so much! But the struggle we're having is that my 6.5-year-old simply does not listen when I read anything aloud (Burgess, history, science, picture books, etc). I feel like I have tried everything (letting her fidget or eat or color or play with playdough while I read; reading with inflection; reading just a paragraph and then asking a question or two before moving on, veering away from Burgess to do picture books for awhile) When it comes time to answer questions or narrate, she always says "I don't know." Sometimes she appears to be thinking about an answer, but then says something like "I was distracted." or "I didn't hear." I have been getting pretty frustrated lately. Someone told me my daughter is simply being disobedient, and I need to discipline her for not paying attention. (I should note there is nothing wrong with her hearing either, haha, she can hear my husband and I whispering a cross the room )

There's so much emphasis on reading aloud to your kids these days, how important it is; I have read about Charlotte Mason's emphasis on the importance of narration, and how reading something more than once is only enabling them to be distracted. I feel like I"m failing here...can anyone help?
I am sure I'm not this first to mention how much we're struggling with read-aloud times, but I was having trouble finding a thread to help. Thanks in advance! -Janelle

[countrymom]

When I read your post I thought of a recent post by Carrie that should be helpful. She was addressing the child reading aloud, but it still applies.

Honestly, I would stop checking with him during the reading to see if he is comprehending. Interrupting the flow of the reading can be jarring to any listener, and the flow of the story is even more important for kiddos whose minds are constantly jumping around already.

I would just do the readings as scheduled, and over time I think you will be pleasantly surprised that your son has taken more from the readings than you think. It can take kiddos time to get into the rhythm of a story and often connections from the stories don't show up until much later. I liken this to reading aloud to a young child, who you think is not listening at all, but then much later you might hear some connection coming out in his/her playtime. For many kiddos this is how reading aloud goes.

As parents, when we read aloud we are making connections to the reading left and right. These connections are based upon our past exposure to this topic and to the more mature way that our brains are able to process what we hear. For our kiddos, in contrast, the reading aloud topics are often a child's first introduction to a topic for which they have no frame of reference. So, their comprehension can seem to be almost non-existent! But first exposures are necessary stepping stones, so your time is not wasted!!

Your daughter is young. I am pretty sure I read in a Charlotte Mason book that age 7 is about the right age to start narration. I would just read to her, ask her any questions in the guide, and move on, no matter what her answer is. I can tell you from experience narration is a skill that is honed and takes time. I had a child that could give me nothing but blank stares for narration, and sometimes I wondered what I had gotten myself into, but I am happy to report he has become an excellent narrator. Give it time and I think some day (in a different guide most likely), you will be pleasantly surprise.

[mylittlewomen]

thank you, countrymom! that is very encouraging!

[mrsrandolph]

The post where Carrie is quoted is about my son, and he has ADHD. I have started him on Natural Supplements (chewable) until he starts meds. They help. He takes GABA, THP, and Focus Factor Kids.

[mylittlewomen]

UPDATE:

Things are SO much better now! Still room for improvement (My daughter is 10, and it seems like she'll never be able to do a written narration), but she listens to a whole story and can narrate much better. She still gets things out of order, or will tell it how she thinks it should be instead of how it is, but But I sometimes forget, she truly does things in her own time. She always has. I need to remember, and to trust this!

[my3sons]

UPDATE:

Things are SO much better now! Still room for improvement (My daughter is 10, and it seems like she'll never be able to do a written narration), but she listens to a whole story and can narrate much better. She still gets things out of order, or will tell it how she thinks it should be instead of how it is, but But I sometimes forget, she truly does things in her own time. She always has. I need to remember, and to trust this!

Thanks for the update! Sometimes we, as moms, forget how far our kiddos have come. I'm so glad your dd has made good progress in this area, and be encouraged, she will also make good progress with written narrations! I have seen each of our sons progress in written narrations at different paces. But, they have all progressed! Furthermore, they are all 'good at it' by the time they have matured into young men. It is a skill I see used often outside of school in all sorts of settings. These CM skills are worth the time and effort - keep up the good work!

In Christ,
Julie