Help from FT working parents with children at school

SkipE

I was going to say can he not read to the little ones as well. That is what we used to do as kids. My little brother got loads of stories with two older sisters and my mum got to prepare dinner in peace.

I go back to work full time next year and I am honestly dreading it and I only have one. You are doing a wonderful job. The fact you are posting shows how much you care and are willing to invest in your childs development. Would be nice if you hubby helped out a bit too.....

motherofstudents

It's hard isn't it. They have to read the school books but I would stress what somebody said before - get some books from the library/buy some and let them develop by reading things they are interested in. I joined a book club when mine were little and we had some beautiful books and loved reading them together. Don't even know if those clubs still exist !

One of my sons is reading 'Ulysses' at the moment which I could never get my head around. So, yes, just read anything and everything and make it fun. I know it's hard to juggle everything but just 10 minutes is enough.

gairlochgal

Another vote for mornings. Dd2 was slow learning to read and needed to practise as you say. she did much better in the mornings. She'd read to me at breakfast and we'd do spellings and timetables walking to school.

mrcow

I'd get him to grab his book first thing in the morning and read it to you whilst you're still in bed as a 1-1 activity.

With homework, is there not weekend time to do this? If it's spellings, ask for the words upfront and get him to complete the homewrk early the weekend before. Then there is no pressure during the week as it's already been done.

Spendless

An idea my friend came up with which was later developed further by our infant school was to put the key words they are learning onto individual small cards, which are laminated and then put on a key-ring (one they like, my DS had one that had a creature from Monsters Inc key-ring). You then have the key-ring and the words to learn any time an opportunity arrises, in the car, in the supermarket, waiting for a bus etc.