To think it is fine for children to have comics

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DS really LOVES comics. For Christmas he would love subscriptions etc., but some grandparents are against this. They think it is not educational.

There are quite a few comics in the tesco clubcard scheme.

This is the only request DS has made and is likely to make. Thanks Rivercam-I will look into it.

I was a reluctant reader, and also dyslexic with poor understanding. I learned to read from the Beano and Dandy. I now have a good MSc in Health Psychology, so not a bad thing. Anything which peaks their interest in reading is a good thing.

DS is another reluctant reader who took to comics like a duck to water. His reading has come on so much and he now, finally after years of help and extra work has a reading age equal to his actual age. The comics didn't cause it but I'm convinced they helped.
Do it, not everything had to be out and out educational , sometimes you can sneak it in by the back door

Another recommendation for the Phoenix!! My 10 year old DS, 8 year DD and to a lessor extent, 5 year old DS, love it!

The Corpse Talk section often ends up being the topic of a discussion on the historical character it covers. There is a race to the post box to get it on the day it is due.

DS1 has said, 'How can it feel like ages before the next one arrives but once you start reading it, you can remember the last episode like you've just read it?'

No adverts, unlike National Geographic Kids, the content of which has been sacrificed in favour of advertising IMO.

Having said that, GPs are entitled to buy what they wish to buy rather than what you want to buy for them.

Of course not and comics are great.

Why is it any if their business anyway?

On a different track out of my 4 kids 2 are avid recreational readers like myself and the other 2 read if they have to for work/school but don't particularly read as.a Hobby like dh.

All are successful and did/do well at school.

Some people just done find reading enjoyable. So what. As long as you can actually read it's fine.

Pisses me off actually when loving reading is held in such high regard. It's just another hobby like gaming or sport.

As a massive comic book fan (am 45 btw) and Marvel being my drug comic of choice, tell them, from me to accept this ticket to the far side of fuck. I was heartbroken when I sold my comic collection due to lack of space. I'm hoping that The Cub will inherit my love of them so I can live through it all again.

StillDesperatelyWantsToBeStormTiggaxx

How strange...I always buy my kids comics! In the grand scheme of things they nag me to buy for they are a pretty cheap treat. I disagree that they are not educational as a child needs to read them!

Absolutely, a subscription for the comics is a fine gift, and do comics still publish a Christmas Annual? We loved those and p'raps the Grands (killjoys) would be more happy giving a 'proper book'?

Comics are fine although not as good as books for reading. Christmas presents should be fun rather than exclusively educational.

We also love the Phoenix! My 6yo did his half term project on Tesla thanks to Corpse Talk

We all love the Phoenix here! DS had it as a gift subscription from godmother but we carried on with it when that ran out because we love it so much.

If your ds likes drawing comics, you could look into the Scott McCloud books, Making Comics and Understanding Comics. Way too old for my ds (9) really as they're quite complex, but he loves them.

Comics are great for encouraging children to read. I can't see them not being beneficial.

The problem with comics is that they don't contain any description. Words describing scenes, facial expressions, voices etc etc are absent since the pictures show the scene. That's why I don't think they are as beneficial as books, which isn't to say that there is no benefit from reading them. And it certainly isn't much of a childhood if you only ever do the most educational of activities.

Comics are great.

My severely dyslexic DSD never finished a single book until she discovered manga - now she reads loads!

This kind of thing looks fun:

The Blank Comic Book Panelbook - Staggered, 7"x10", 127 Pages www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1936404397/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_BbsAub07BQR6N

Also I am a big fan of educational toys and gifts but the primary ingredient of Xmas presents must surely be FUN.

I am very very lucky that my parents don't actually like choosing presents - it's a shame they don't want to, but the fact they hand over some cash and say "please choose something from us" means I know my DCs will get something perfect for them (that we likely couldn't afford ourselves).

I always made sure there was a copious supply of comics in my classroom (primary teacher for many years) They were excellent for rainy playtimes, and a 'treat' if someone finished their work early. Children would happily read them when they weren't too keen on books. As a child I absolutely lived for my copies of Beano and Dandy every week. 2 old pennies each, plus a liquorice skipping rope. Total, sixpence!
They are actually 'educational' as they usually have bits of information, illustrations etc and are generally morally sound in content.
Sometimes children just need to relax and give their brains a rest. They can't be intensively learning all the time. I'd certainly encourage this.

Comics are brilliant. That's from an avid Beano reader who went on to Oxbridge. So ner.

If it has to be educashunal then try Okido or First News?

Ain't nothing wrong with comics if the kids actually read them. Ds1 chooses comics because of the crap plastic toy on the front and never actually reads the comic itself. This makes them a total waste of money, and I am refusing to buy comics these days.

For children that actually bother to read them, comics can be great. However, if the grandparents don't agree, let them buy lego (or whatever) instead.

Phoenix!!! Brilliant... my lot loved it and then their subscription ended.... hmmm quite a good xmas pressie idea!!!

Get it! It's sooo good! and funny!!!!

YANBU. DC get a comic each a week. DD is 7 and has a reading age of 12.

Phoenix and that book with the blank comic pages from Amazon look great (he likes making up his own comic strips). Phoenix subscription I will have to save for his birthday though. One good things about the subscription is they do not get swayed by the free gifts (as most come through the post without the gifts).

It's a brilliant present. Perfectly educational IMO. I asked my mum to get a beano subscription but she won't either for a different reason - thinks it's not exciting for them to open on Christmas day. She's obsessed with them having tons of plastic crap to open that they don't even play with. But sigh...grandparents entitled to choose their own present within reason, I've accepted that I'll have to get the subscription myself!

God how dull if everything in life had to be educational , is the Gp really dull their childs Christmas must have been a hoot with all the educational magazines they got