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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if your child has any books?

115 replies

RabidEchidna · 04/02/2012 20:13

As was just watching something on T.V about children not having access to books and DP (grown man top of his field and very very intelligent) pipes up with this little gem.... Children do not need books as there is internet and that most teenagers read at least a books worth of emails and social network stuff a day Shock

Am I living with an Idiot, OK his field is programming and he reads everything online or via kindle but come on the man's being a loon right

OP posts:
mumbilical · 04/02/2012 20:29

Rabid my DP took Solzenitzen's Cancer Ward to Glastonbury. I too should have seen the signs Grin

Lulumama · 04/02/2012 20:30

books are marvellous
am v au fait with social networking/email/computers etc, I also have a kindle that syncs with my iPhone BUT nothing beats opening a real book and really getting lost in the pages

i tend to read paper books in the bath, as I do drop them in from time to time, and I love second hand books too

for babies and little ones, cloth/board books are wonderful and interactive and stimulating, you can't stick a baby in front of a computer and give them the same experience.

not having books or access to books is a sad thing really

DD has about 30 books, DS about 15 ( dyslexic, v v dyslexic, so struggles but found a few authors who work for him... ) me, I have 100s. my parents have 1000s. Books are ace !

AThingInYourLife · 04/02/2012 20:30

:o

Oh programmers and their certainties :)

Our kids have lots of books and we go to the library regularly.

Original poster
RabidEchidna · 04/02/2012 20:31

I shall go tell DP he is a wrong Grin

As I say he is very techy, think Sheldon from big bang theory (only hunker and better looking) Grin

OP posts:
mumbilical · 04/02/2012 20:31

Good grief, have you seen the way they write on Facebook, you tube etc.? It's not exactly an erudite medium. They will have to learn to write and speak properly. Sooner or L8ater.

BrianButterfield · 04/02/2012 20:31

I wouldn't negate the reading aspect of using the internet, though. It does involve a lot of reading and different comprehension skills. I often get parents of Year 8 boys, in particular, worried that they will not do well at English because they don't read books, but I always reassure them that reading comics/magazines, factual things like football programmes and websites is still worthwhile. I was also reading an article the other day about a school who gave some of their students with poor literacy levels a Kindle, and one of them read a novel all the way through for the first time ever.

So while I love books and DS at 5 months already has two shelves full and I take him to the library, I think we mustn't be too snobby about the value of printed text on paper. Reading comes in all forms and literacy is adaptable.

MissBetsyTrotwood · 04/02/2012 20:32

Thing is, although they're actually reading, I guess what they're reading won't be stretching their brains that much if it is just social network stuff and emails. Now I love sites like this but I don't feel very brain nourished after spending an hour or so on them. I must be doing it all wrong! DH spends a lot of time on music geek sites that discuss his very niche work stuff but it's never really for the discussion, only to find out very specific things... I guess the two are not mutually exclusive.

I find I can't think on a screen as well as I can when both reading from and writing onto paper. Perhaps that's just a generational thing though. My DCs have loads of books; I think the physicality of a book is very important to small children.

Thanks for the OP OP! I'll pounce this on DH tomorrow night when he gets home from work (if he gets home from work if Heathrow's snowed in.) I know he'll have something completely the opposite to me to say!

mumbilical · 04/02/2012 20:33

Yes, being a programmer would do it. DP is a philosopher and told me DS was not a person yet when he was nearly a year old.

motherinferior · 04/02/2012 20:33

This is mumsnet. Everyone's child is a voracious, advanced reader never happier than when munching her/his way through the best that print material can afford.

lurkerspeaks · 04/02/2012 20:33

I have to confess that as an adult I have now virtually stopped buying paper books (although I do still borrow them from the library). E-books are so much more convenient but I have reservations for older children:

  1. I'm not sure how much stuff is published electronically
  2. sharing can be difficult
  3. not many libraries support the format yet and libraries are so useful esp. for kids.
totallypearshaped · 04/02/2012 20:34

Hold on, don't tell your DP he is wrong. My DD prefers to read film subtitles, and also online comics. She's 7. She has 100s and 100s of books, but prefers to read online.

We are both techies, and I think DD will be one too. So it suits some. Your DP isn't wrong at all.

Sirzy · 04/02/2012 20:34

DS is just 2 and has well over 150 books, he loves them and I love reading them with them.

Reading with children is, imo, one of the most important things to do with them and can help set them up with a life long love of books. I find it very sad when children have never sat down with someone and read a book together.

troisgarcons · 04/02/2012 20:35

I cant actually assimiliate from a screen, i have to print and read Hmm

ZhenThereWereTwo · 04/02/2012 20:35

A whole bookcase full and she is only 2.7, but there are a lot of older ones for her to grow into from my own childhood collection.

Gumby · 04/02/2012 20:35

It's national libraries day today

Use it or lose it

fluffywhitekittens · 04/02/2012 20:36

Your dp is wrong.
Children need books.

mrsjay · 04/02/2012 20:36

yes he is a loon Grin imo children need physical books or comics to flick through and read , I know we are all into techno stuff and apps etc etc but I think you are right kids need to feel books to do that funny flick swipey thing on a kindle ,

MollyBroom · 04/02/2012 20:36

I agree that it is silly to be snobby about paper. I personally prefer paper to a kindle although not as much as I did in the past.

One of my children was not an avid reader , I bought her a kindle and now she reads constantly. Fine with me .

mrsjay · 04/02/2012 20:37

not to do the funny flicky swipey thing* Grin

usualsuspect · 04/02/2012 20:37

Who would post 'no actually my house has no books' on MN ?

MissBetsyTrotwood · 04/02/2012 20:37

Pleased to hear I'm not alone troisgarcons. Seriously, it just doesn't go in!

Original poster
RabidEchidna · 04/02/2012 20:37

A book can take you to any place and any time, you can ride with Robin hood, wonder at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, hunt treasure with long John Silver, there is no end to the magic

OP posts:
MollyBroom · 04/02/2012 20:38

You can also do both, my children use thec library todo homework and to borrow the odd book. They have shelves of paper books and kindles. One need not cancel out the other.

FumblingFreezingFingertips · 04/02/2012 20:39

DD owns, and has probably read, more books than DH. I think a 'proper' book is an invaluable experience for children as she doesn't read one end to the other but likes to flick backwards and forwards, pointing things out, and finding her favourite bits.

Not easily done on a Kindle.

nailak · 04/02/2012 20:39

who exactly do you lot have on your twitter and face book? there are so many news / magazine articles, blogs and journalists, reviews, politicians, protest groups and causes etc on twitter and facebook!

Surely if a teenager is spending a lot of time on social networking then it would be better to get him or her to follow people that interest him, even that be his local football team then he can read match reviews etc, or if he likes animals blogs about animal protection or whatever then to say most of the stuff on fb is hardly literate and doesnt count as reading?

my dh also thinks books are outdated technology (his words) but i disagree, a kindle is just not the same!