At what age is it OK to not read to your kids at bedtime?

[Maudy]

I'm not sure i have phrased the title question right because obviously it depends on the child and the situation of the parents. I would just be interested to know when most children start reading by themselves at bedtime and stop being read to.

My eldest DS who is almost 10 can read most books for his age - he's just finished Harry Potter - but he stills likes being read to. I feel we are coming to the end of our reading together life and wanted to know if others did the same around this age.

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[cluelessnchaos]

Dd1 is 10 dont read with her every night maybe 1 in 3, the rest of the time she wants to read to herself which I love

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[NAB3]

DS1 has just read to DD. he is 6 and she is 4. We still read to all our children at night. The youngest is 2. DS1 has a chapter of Famous Five every night and DD has what ever book she wants. Currently she likes the Mr Men and Little Miss Books. The youngest likes anything.

[MaureenMLove]

Its ALWAYS ok to read to them at night!, but I know what you mean! My dd is 12 and reads HP and she still likes me to share the reading sometimes. I think its more about settling them for going to sleep really. She doesn't go up until 8.30 now and she reads for half an hour before going to sleep. I would go up with her and read, but she needs to learn to go to sleep without me, I can't be doing it when shes 15!

[WideWebWitch]

I sometimes read to ds, who is nearly 10, but don't read dd a story most nights, although she will get 30 all at one qat the weekend

[charmkin]

I HAVE NEVER DONE THE BEDTIME STORY THING

ok
so judge me
but i do books in teh day, library
dd had readinga ge of 9 in year r blah blah

but once it's bedtime
that's it
I'm done
go to sleep

[Maudy]

I still read to the little one every night. Its most definitely part of the routine but i somehow feel that DS1 is growing out of it although he says he still wants it. We have just both read Harry Potter at the same time. he would read a chapter and then i would read it later and we would discuss it, That was great as we were sharing a story but he was also reading.

Its also the fact that reading to both kids can take for ever and when DP is away that part of the evening can go on forever. I know it sounds selfish but I'm knackered at the end of the day and sometimes just want to get downstairs and chill out. I usually read to them together then and DS1 then gets to read to himself.

I think I'm just being lazy.

[pinkisthatme]

I would love to read to my eldest dd3 every night, she's only nearly 8 but has lost interest in it which makes me really sad. I'm always encouraging her to want one but she's more interested in sitting in her room writing stories or copying pieces from her books!

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[charmkin]

"i dont htink there is a LAW "


so shoot me
bedtime is for sleeping
kids need to go to bed early to sleep
i read books at other times

[roisin]

Gosh! Ds1 is 10 and I can't remember when I last read to him - certainly at least 2 years ago, and probably more.

We (ds1 and I) occasionally read excerpts to one another from the newpaper, or a book we are reading, or the blurb ... but only in the manner of sharing something interesting, not a bedtime story sort of thing.

(He reads to himself loads btw, so I don't feel he's neglected.)

Interestingly I do read to/with ds2 atm, but we had stopped and have recently re-started.

[pinkisthatme]

Thanks guys for your recent threads! Had started to feel v.bad about being a good parent, like you I also read to dd3 at times other than bed time which are surely just as important!

[elasticbandstand]

youngest almost 8,
seems to have gone out of the window somehow.
was so much better with first.
i do often suggest it but bedtimes can be chaotic.

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[Maudy]

As i said right at the beginning, it totally depends on the child and the situation. DS1 has just got so used to us reading that he expects it every night and in the past has got really upset when we have said we won't read because its too late or some other reason. He's starting to get used to the idea now as we are slowly winding it down but we still read most evenings.

didn't want to make anyone feel guilty.

[Budababe]

We ended up mistakenly giving DS the choice of another TV prog or a story and he usually chose the tv which suited us as were trying to have dinner etc.

Am now trying to get back into the reading.

[OrmIrian]

When they no longer want you to I should think. I can't imagine ever refusing if one of my DC's asked me to (unless it's very late and a story is just a delaying tactic that is).

DD is 8 and has been reading to herself for about 1 yr. That was also the time that she started very politely asking me not to read to her. DS#1 is 10 and I still read to him most nights. He can read perfectly well but is too lazy to read by choice and I want him to enjoy all the great books I loved as a kid - we both enjoy it TBH. DS#2 didn't really get read to at night until recently - but now that he is it will continue as long as he wants.