I got my old Shirley Hughes books out of my parents attic. Lucy and Tom, Alfie etc. It's only re-reading them that I see how aspirational, and dare I say, unrealistic they are in terms of family life and I do feel they had a knock on effect on my thinking growing up. The cosy grandparents, fun aunties and uncles and the highly involved parents didn't reflect my reality. I remember as a child I had a deep longing for my family to be like the families in the books I had read to me, and in some ways I still do! My family were not neglectful or abusive but they had their own issues and hang ups and weren't like the perfect family in the stories but as a child I couldn't understand why. I just wondered what others think, are these aspirational stories good for young children or do they warp their realities and lead to unrealistic dissapointment and longing? Any books that made you think 'why isn't my life like that?' I meant this to be light-hearted (as I still love those books) but I'm not sure it has turned out this way! Also name changed as I'm speaking honestly about my family.