Page 6 | To let dd15 simply read all summer

OhLaDiDaDiDa · 2026-07-21T10:17:20+00:00

Aibu to be okay with dd15’s plan to spend her entire summer reading? She has GCSEs next year, and I strongly suspect she won’t follow up her plan of studying a few hours very day this summer. She gets good grades and is a nice girl. She updated her TBR (“to be read”) list of 100 books and that’s her plan! Some of them are non fiction and the fiction is a lot of “good quality” stuff (not junky AI romantasies!)

BringBackCatsEyes · 21/07/2026 14:48

Is she contributing towards running the household a bit as well?

TheIdlerReturns · 21/07/2026 14:46

Good for her! That sounds an excellent use of time.

Itstime1 · 21/07/2026 14:28

Oh how I miss the days in the summer holidays getting through as many books as I could. I mixed it up with sports and friends but honestly- sounds like a dream now (as a parent who has to sacrifice sleep to read of an evening thanks to life/work 😅)

Let her be, offer some activities and days out or mornings / afternoons out but let her have a summer to chill and relax before she starts year 11!

cestlavielife · 21/07/2026 14:14

Of course.reading is good for you
Rewards of reading: Toward the development of possible selves and identities - PMC https://share.google/UQpo06u2GsK2v74RI

And if she decides to read 10 MillsAndBoon and five danielle steel that s ok too. She gains insight into formulaic story narrative and plot. And it might play into literary critical analysis if she goes on to study literature or similar.

ToffeePennie · 21/07/2026 14:11

Leave her be! I used to love summer holidays, reading all day, working weekends and then more reading. It was awesome!

Wirkwirk · 21/07/2026 14:10

Will she do it? I often have plans to read all day (or afternoon) and find I waste it scrolling MN etc. I'd love to regain the focus screens have taken from me and be able to read all day again.

Fontet · 21/07/2026 14:09

Sounds perfect.

ThisSereneGoose · 21/07/2026 14:08

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 14:02

I got top grades, so no it wasn’t because I was behind. It’s because lounging around all day doing nothing isn’t good for you.

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I pity those who need to do "revisions" because they have nothing better and more interesting things to do during their summer holiday. I know some parents can't afford holidays at all, but there are still plenty of opportunities for a teen to be active. As well as reading.

MajorProcrastination · 21/07/2026 14:07

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:58

It was expected of us, at a grammar school.

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Well that sounds shit.

BIossomtoes · 21/07/2026 14:03

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 14:02

I got top grades, so no it wasn’t because I was behind. It’s because lounging around all day doing nothing isn’t good for you.

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Reading isn’t doing nothing.

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 14:02

ThisSereneGoose · 21/07/2026 14:00

are you sure it wasn't because YOU were behind? Because it's not the case in the grammar schools I know . They are all different of course, but it's not "a thing"

They are more likely to encourage trips abroad and broaden the knowledge in general, than daily revisions of subjects that should already be mastered anyway

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I got top grades, so no it wasn’t because I was behind. It’s because lounging around all day doing nothing isn’t good for you.

Chocolatecustardcreamsrule · 21/07/2026 14:01

I spend a lot of my holidays reading as a teenager. Looking back though it was me hyper focusing due to a lack of routine. I had ADHD that was undiagnosed because I got As on exams. I would make sure she is doing stuff in between so it’s not 8am to 11pm of books.

ThisSereneGoose · 21/07/2026 14:00

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:58

It was expected of us, at a grammar school.

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are you sure it wasn't because YOU were behind? Because it's not the case in the grammar schools I know . They are all different of course, but it's not "a thing"

They are more likely to encourage trips abroad and broaden the knowledge in general, than daily revisions of subjects that should already be mastered anyway

Thankyounextnext · 21/07/2026 14:00

As others say, this sounds like a base for a great summer holiday but she should do a hobby or 2 and make sure to meet up with friends regularly

I say this as someone whose summer holiday activity was my mum paying for the full sky TV package so I could stay at home watching tv all day!

MrsKeats · 21/07/2026 13:59

As an English teacher I only wish there was more of this.

DabOfPistachio · 21/07/2026 13:59

TealScroller · 21/07/2026 11:21

Ops put that you are being unreasonable, I meant that if you're ok with this then that's great! I'm very envious of her!

I also put YABU by mistake. Sounds like a lovely summer. I'm very jealous of her 😆

BIossomtoes · 21/07/2026 13:59

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:58

It was expected of us, at a grammar school.

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It wasn’t expected of us at a grammar school.

ThisSereneGoose · 21/07/2026 13:58

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:53

Because sitting indoors reading crap (and it will be crap) isn’t good either!

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from someone posting on MN

I am loving the irony here

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:58

MajorProcrastination · 21/07/2026 13:54

An HOUR a day STUDYING in the SUMMER HOLIDAYS?!!!??!??! What?! This was never the expectation. I say this as a geeky A student with geeky A student school friends: we didn't do this at all, our teachers didn't request or expect it, our universities only expected the summer reading to be done. Like I said in my earlier response, I did read our A level and GCSE set texts for English and Drama over the summer but I would never have called reading Wide Sargasso Sea while sunbathing in Cornwall "studying".

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It was expected of us, at a grammar school.

BIossomtoes · 21/07/2026 13:57

I spent all my summers reading around her age. What an amazing way to spend six weeks.

MajorProcrastination · 21/07/2026 13:54

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:44

She needs at least an hour a day outside and an hour a day studying.

An HOUR a day STUDYING in the SUMMER HOLIDAYS?!!!??!??! What?! This was never the expectation. I say this as a geeky A student with geeky A student school friends: we didn't do this at all, our teachers didn't request or expect it, our universities only expected the summer reading to be done. Like I said in my earlier response, I did read our A level and GCSE set texts for English and Drama over the summer but I would never have called reading Wide Sargasso Sea while sunbathing in Cornwall "studying".

thehardestpartis · 21/07/2026 13:53

ThisSereneGoose · 21/07/2026 13:48

why? Of course kids need to do a bit of revisions during the holiday, just enough so they are not completely lost when they restart, but they don't need 1 hour a day! 😂

couple of hours 2 or 3 times in the holiday is plenty, unless they really are failing somewhere, and that should have been addressed before the holiday

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Because sitting indoors reading crap (and it will be crap) isn’t good either!

ThisSereneGoose · 21/07/2026 13:52

StandingDeskDisco · 21/07/2026 12:06

I would say that you have to insist that she still does her household chores in a timely manner (she does have regular responsibility for some chores, right?)

I would leave it up to her whether she priorities reading over socialising or exercising - that is her choice.

what's that MN obsession with "chores"?

Snufkin88 · 21/07/2026 13:52

Personally I would prefer if my child was out socialising with their friends as well. It’s great that she is so keen on reading but there is more to life in my opinion.

DreamingOfSleepingPlease · 21/07/2026 13:51

I think your idea of asking her to make dinner is a good one. Could you work with her on setting some other, non-reading/ life skill related goals for the summer, too?

Eg, can you make a list of recipes you’d like to make together, or some things you could teach her to cook together? Is there any DIY she could try (eg painting her bedroom? Sanding/ varnishing outdoor wooden furniture?). Could she learn a craft, too? (Eg, knit a blanket?).

Could she do any volunteering? You mentioned walking a neighbour’s dog - is there anything else like that she could do?

Could you ask her to research and plan a day out for the two of you, including public transport?

Anything to add a bit more variety to the summer - although obviously reading is great.