Veering off topic is probably good in this case
DS does all kinds of ridiculous things while listening to books -- and he's made it clear he's listening! Giving him a toy, though, is likely to just make him annoyed -- it's not the one he wants, it won't do X at the right time, etc. At BEST, giving him a toy and then reading a book at him results in him attempting to jam the toy in your mouth to see if you can still read that way! (Now, letting him PICK a toy, that has some potential...)
I think it's the beginning that's different: Case 1) Kid wants to read, so you read. Whether the kid is playing with a toy, climbing up the drapes, or attempting to remove his diaper and place it on your head, the book is part of the game. Case 2) Kid does not want to read, but you think it's good for him. Whether you find a way to make him sit still or read it to him while he cries and rages and struggles, the book is not helpful.
We never tried to get DS to like books... but we were lucky, he just did, so when he got to be about 6 mos, and everyone expected him to like books, he already did. It seems like a majority of parents in my area are getting a lot of pressure to make sure their kid loves books by 6 mos, and most of the kids... well... don't. At least not in a sit-still-listen-and-point kinda way. And I think it's at least a bit circular. We didn't force him, so he saw the good parts. If we'd been withholding the bedtime nursing session until he sat through a book (not uncommon here), I'm not sure he'd have been focusing on the same aspects. We didn't even start doing bedtime stories until he was about 4 months old, which is something one has to be quiet about here. Average age to begin reading bedtime stories is between -2 mos and shortly after birth.
Actually I think "pushing" (as opposed to the "pushy" of the subject line), is endemic here. It's considered very bad if you don't read counting books and sing the alphabet song regularly by the time the baby is 6 mos old. Typically, by a year, kids are being taught numbers in at least three languages (not joking, in the library program we go to, we sing "One two three four five five five" in... count 'em 8-12 languages each week.)
It's very wonky, and I think it makes life particularly difficult for any one with a minimally compliant child. Kids that don't suffer boredom gladly are guaranteed not to like it. As I've mentioned before, DS really needs the stimulation of different places and people, and the structure of programs, but it's hard finding ones that aren't boring. Especially right now, when he's kinda between stages. Not welcome in the toddler programs, but not really suited to the baby ones. And it's gettning WORSE. He just keeps growing out of things. Thank goodness for summer!
blarg.
