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Tran Hung Dao's avatar

> Remember they can still listen and do lots of other things! (Cheers to my audiobook peeps out there, multitasking by listening to books while getting sh*t done).

I was going to say exactly this. Nowadays even more adults don't "read while doing absolutely nothing else". They listen to audiobooks or podcasts while cooking, cleaning, exercising, commuting to work.

I'm willing to bet that adults who build LEGOs sometimes listen to audiobooks and podcasts while building.

Yes, I get that it is frustrating. I feel it too! But I've also been surprised a number of times when they drawing and I'm reading a book out loud that it doesn't seem they are paying attention to and they suddenly look up and ask "why was the horse laughing?" .... so they were actually paying attention.

I think part of it is that little kids don't know how to send subtle signals that they are actually paying attention. Adults do. Think of how we know that we're supposed to occasionally make eye contact, go "uh huh", or ask a question to signal that we are actually paying attention. That's a skill that needs to learnt just like everything else.

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Alexis Davis's avatar

Good point!! They don’t have those cues to tell us “I hear you!” Which is why we also have to be constantly reminding them to respond when we tell them something or find ourselves repeating what we said or asking “did you hear me?” It isn’t that they didn’t hear us! It’s that they don’t know how to express that they have heard us through the accepted constructs of societal norms! Cool to think about!!

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Kathryn Barbash, PsyD's avatar

So so true. Sometimes my kids can not settle down to read and are running around like maniacs and I just start reading and it pulls them in to sit down and read. And sometimes they keeping running around like maniacs. But you won't know until you try.

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Alexis Davis's avatar

I love when it calms them! But the times that it doesn’t I find it still resets me, so it’s worth it lol

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Kelly Champagne's avatar

I can so relate! I read aloud (to myself!) on many occasions! We also just got Over and Under the Snow at the library - looking forward to it! And I just requested the birthday chicken book- looks great!

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Alexis Davis's avatar

It’s cute and funny. I love the chickens signs 🪧

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Grace Riley's avatar

Were you spying on us at breakfast time this morning?? I aborted ship halfway through The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson when both children wandered off and started playing monster and now I’m rethinking my choice. Though I do think my daughter said politely, “Mom, I’m all done with that book.” 😅

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Alexis Davis's avatar

Hahah. Spies!!! That one is a real adorable time commitment! Also, quitting is appropriate a lot of the times, especially when manners are involved lol 😂

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Sri Juneja's avatar

Yes!!!! Every word of this is true!

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Alexis Davis's avatar

It is though, right? There’s probably some science to back it but I didn’t even Google search for it! 😂 anecdotal evidence from years of nannying and parenting only for this one.

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Sarah Miller's avatar

A👏MEN!👏 Second, third, and fourth every word of this.

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Alexis Davis's avatar

Happy dance! It’s so hard to do but worth it!

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