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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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

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:

totallypearshaped · 04/02/2012 21:02

Yes, reading from a book is fine, but really and truly my 7yo DD wouldn't pick up a paper book if you paid her. She prefers reading from a screen, Kindle, online, DVD subtitles, and typing on her devices as well - though she's very good at writing with old fashioned paper and pencil, but prefers drawing and colouring in her creations.

She doesn't need a book to fire her imagination - she's fabulous at making stories up herself.

Times are changing. Paper is on its way out, we should embrace that: the trees are winning!

FredFredGeorge · 04/02/2012 21:02

Most people are confusing books, with a written story, these things no longer go together. Children, likely everyone, need stories, but that doesn't mean they need books. Young children will almost certainly still do better with physical books and I doubt there are any other than the most neglected without any, but older ones, no they don't need books, just stories.

D0oinMeCleanin · 04/02/2012 21:04

Mine have three under bed storage boxes full of books. Dd1 has recently taken an interest in reading actual books, with chapters and everything. She takes a book bag full of them everywhere she goes

She is desperate for a Kindle.

glenthebattleostrich · 04/02/2012 21:07

DD (21 mth) has about 100, plus monthly visits to the library.

DNiece (14) has upwards of 400, she regularly takes piles to the charity shop and reads at least 1 book every 2 weeks, DNephew, slightly less but loves buying / reading animal reference books.

Most of my family love books, we could probably start our own library between us ;-)

INeverFinishAnythi · 04/02/2012 21:08

DS is 3 and we probably have about 300. More at his grandparents houses. One of the most important things a small child can have, IMO. I have probably bought about 70% of them, the rest gifts.

Mishy1234 · 04/02/2012 21:16

Loads (must be 200+), sometimes I think too many.

I do think you can get away with borrowing mostly from library though, especially for younger children.

I don't think kindles are a substitute for younger children. They definitely need books.

IDoNotLIKEFun · 04/02/2012 21:17

My sister sells the books I have bought her children. And the free bookstart ones. The only literature in the house is the Argos catalogue.

Mind you my dd aged 11 once complained that there was "nothing on the internet" and I may have launched into a bit of a tirade about that!

Kennyp · 04/02/2012 21:19

I get all my children's books from car boot sales or charity shops as they are too expensive for me tobuy new. They have loads and love a bed time tory.

imoanruby · 04/02/2012 21:26

DD's have well over 300 books and dd1 has a kindle but actually prefers to read a book. We have had some hard financial times over the last few years but no matter what we always have money for books...a love of books and reading is a truly wonderful thing..

lisad123 · 04/02/2012 21:28

We have stack loads of books. Dd1 will often be found with head in a book. And dd2 loves reading before bed.

MariaCallous · 04/02/2012 21:28

Dd probably averages a new book a week. She is 2.10. I love books and hope she does too. Ds just loves eating them but he's only 9 months. Doesn't stop me trying to instill my love of reading in him too.

RitaMorgan · 04/02/2012 21:32

I don't think children need books actually.

MollyBroom · 04/02/2012 21:34

Kennyp I can't imagine anything worse than a bedtime Tory.

exoticfruits · 04/02/2012 21:39

I think that boos are essential. Mine had a library ticket from babies and you can pick up books at carboots etc. very cheaply.

exoticfruits · 04/02/2012 21:39

sorry -books!!

zipzap · 04/02/2012 21:50

Dc have loads of books, dh and I both are total bookworms and have way too many books.

Ds1 (6) loves being read to and flicking through books but is a bad reader for his age. Ds2 (3) also loves being read to and will pick up books and pretend to read them or act out what's going on or do the clicker/beeper/wobbly eyes/etc. He'll also carry them around with him and take them to bed to cuddle. (which I then extract when he is asleep - much as I love books even I draw the line at cuddling them!).

And whilst it is fine to have ebooks as well, especially when out and a distraction is needed, it's not the same as having your books to cuddle play with and interact with as well as 'just' read. Especially when you're little!

OhTheConfusion · 04/02/2012 21:58

DS and DD1 have a bookcase full of books each as well as a shelf in the family room bookcase filled with the ones they use for homework etc. DD2 currently has 12 books, she is 5months old!

I kind of wish I didn't give away so many of DS and DD1's books from when they were younger, but we had run out of space to store them!

DontCallMeBaby · 04/02/2012 22:03

Sorry Rabid misread/misremembered.

"Children don't need books" is one thing "Children CAN do well without books" is another. A particular child not being into books is another again. Given that I realised a couple of years ago that one particular brain-the-size-of-a-planet chap that I work with says 'nucular' instead of 'nuclear' and another 'pacific' instead of 'specific' I've given up trying to figure out what does and doesn't make someone an idiot. :o

Kennyp · 04/02/2012 22:17

mollybroom david cameron/john major et al have never been in my house at children's bedtime. Yet.

MollyBroom · 04/02/2012 22:23

kennyp

IDoNotLIKEFun · 04/02/2012 22:34

Bedtime Tory

We moved DS's stash of books upstairs to make way for Christmas decorations and the HV came for a visit. She asked if we had any. I let her accompany me upstairs saying, "oh, maybe one or two - somewhere" to be confronted with hundreds of pounds worth of books and possibly thousands belonging to the adults.

I do make a point of hiding the Twilight Series some of DD's at the back of her shelves though.

Rikalaily · 04/02/2012 22:37

Mine have loads, there is a stash in the livingroom, a tub full in the girls room and ds has tons, he's heavily into fact based books so most of them are encyclopedia types with a few horrible science and horrid henry boxsets.

AnnieLobeseder · 04/02/2012 22:38

My DDs have a whole bookcase full, and DD1 (6yo) has just started reading to herself in bed after three bedtime stories from DH and I. DD2 (3yo) also 'reads' to herself and it's very cute and funny.

minimisschief · 04/02/2012 22:53

well he is right tbh. As much as books are nice to read it is not a requirement in life.

Now learning to read is important. However once that is done then it isn't actually necessary. As long as you can read things for school,work or messages anything else is just recreation.

Shenanagins · 04/02/2012 22:57

My 10 month loves his pop up and touch and feel books. Not sure you can get this on the internet

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