Speech acts help speakers accomplish things in the world. These include requests (“More milk?”) and demands (“No night-night!”) from children, as well as from adults (“Hush!”). Interestingly enough, parents are seldom precise in their requests.
Reading to your son is important, but it doesn’t necessarily have to happen at bedtime. Some children find reading calming, which is why it is often part of children’s bedtime routines. But sitting still for long periods of time—particularly when children are tired, can be difficult for children at this age.
We often hear from parents anxious to teach their babies and toddlers to read in the hopes they’ll provide them with an “edge” in kindergarten. We also hear from teachers who worry that children are beginning school without the skills they need to succeed as readers, despite their parents’ earnest efforts.