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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To thank the guy whose gf thought he shouldn't be reading to his DS(12)

81 replies

WhitePhantom · 11/02/2020 11:50

Following a thread a while back where a guy's gf was annoyed about him reading to his DS, aged 12, I got thinking about how much I used to enjoy reading to the kids.

So I suggested to DD(13) that I read Lord of the Rings to her. I've read the book before, but I read far too fast to take it in properly, and we have watched the films together, but she has never read the book.

So now when she goes to bed I lie on the bed with her and read a few pages to her every night. We're both loving it, and it'll probably take us a year or more to get through it. Smile

I can't remember the name of the poster who got me started on this, but just want to say thanks to him! (and his gf Grin)

OP posts:
CokeAndCrispsAndDip · 11/02/2020 11:51

Love this Grin

BirthdayCakes · 11/02/2020 11:52

Lovely! There is something so nice about reading aloud/being read to - its wonderful that you haven't relegated this to early childhood..

I hope you're doing the voices.

NAFScamander · 11/02/2020 11:53

Strangely enough I’ve just started reading again to my 11 year old...The Hobbit. She is a voracious reader in her own right and I haven’t read to her or her younger sister for years as the eldest took over reading to the youngest when she was about five and little one was 2/3. I’m really enjoying reading to them again.

NAFScamander · 11/02/2020 11:54

Mind you, we have audible on constantly in this house too...

MrsMozartMkII · 11/02/2020 11:55

I used to read to my early teen daughters. All enjoyed it, especially playing around with the different character's voices Grin

puds11 · 11/02/2020 11:57

We’re doing this but with The Hobbit funnily enough. Reading it as a family, each person reads a page and rotates round.

Untrained · 11/02/2020 12:00

Looking back at my childhood I have very fond memories of being read to as a child (by both my Mum and Dad). I also remember reading to my much younger sister (the Harry Potter books were just coming out at the time) and I still do occasionally to my nieces (no kids of my own). Its a lovely way to wind down at bedtime and it definitely encourages children to read for themselves later too.

Enchiladas · 11/02/2020 12:03

That's lovely Smile I can't wait until my babies are old enough to be read to like that. I mean of course I read to them already but when they're old enough to understand and appreciate it, it will be amazing.

airbags · 11/02/2020 12:06

I think that is lovely!

pointythings · 11/02/2020 12:09

I read to mine until DD1 was well past 13. We stopped because we ran out of Terry Pratchett. And yep, I always did the voices.

Clymene · 11/02/2020 12:11

I am currently reading the Treasure Seekers to my 12 year old. We are both really enjoying it

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 11/02/2020 12:12

Great idea. I always loved my parents (or anyone!) reading stories to me but my parents were of the opinion that once I could read for myself, they would back off and leave me to it. They were very busy so I quite understand, I just rather missed it.

MillicentMartha · 11/02/2020 12:13

I used to read to my DS1 up until he was 13 or so. His Dark Materials were the last books we read together. His reading was never fantastic as a child, so I wanted to read to him the books he would like to have read himself. It must have had some good effect, he managed to get an A at GCSE in English lang and lit, much to our delight!

Original poster
WhitePhantom · 11/02/2020 12:18

Thanks all - glad others are enjoying doing this too!

Bilbo is not long gone and Frodo is enjoying being master of Bag End, so not many voices to do yet!

She's a voracious reader too, but I could never persuade her to start on LOTR. I think it was just the size of the book.

Although I did suggest a few years ago that she should read HP, and she was reluctant because there were so many books and some of them were quite big - so I agreed that it might be a bit much and said to just read chapter one of book one and come back to it when she was ready... she didn't stop till she finished book 7 Grin

OP posts:
Hidingtonothing · 11/02/2020 12:19

I'm still reading to DD(11) and have no intention of stopping anytime soon Smile She loves it and so do I, we're currently waiting impatiently for the third Nevermoor book and I'm dreading the day I have no excuse to read children's fiction Grin Mind you my DM still reads to DN sometimes and she's 17 so hopefully I have a few years left yet.

Original poster
WhitePhantom · 11/02/2020 12:20

Oh yeah, Terry Pratchett - another author that I love (as does DS(18)) but dd not interested... I'll start on those in 2022, lol!!

I've never tried Audible - much check it out.

OP posts:
Original poster
WhitePhantom · 11/02/2020 12:21

2021 I mean. Hopefully I'll be finished LOTR before 2022!!

OP posts:
Smelborp · 11/02/2020 12:23

Lovely 💚

WhispersOfWickedness · 11/02/2020 12:23

Ah, love this! I read to my 8 and 10 year olds. They read lots themselves but I read them the books that they wouldn't necessarily read themselves, like a lot of the older books that I read myself as a child. We've read the secret garden, a little princess, two of the narnia books, and are now reading one of the Jennings books Grin

Steamfan · 11/02/2020 12:23

I always read to my DS, and I used to read to my brother. I read to DS up to 13, then a year later he was really ill, and I used to read to him then. I sometimes read to my DH!

Theromanempire · 11/02/2020 12:26

I still read to DS2 (who is 11) - he absolutely loves snuggling up to me on our bed for 10-15 minutes before he goes into his own bed whilst I read to him. He loves to read books himself and he loves stories but, for whatever reason, he enjoys me reading to him and I get cuddles so I am not going to stop until he chooses too Grin DS1 was never a big reader of books (only magazines and autobiographies Hmm) so it is lovely that DS2 enjoys it.

We have been through all of the Magic Faraway Tree books, moved onto some of the Beast Quest books and now reading the Percy Jackson books.

JRUIN · 11/02/2020 12:26

I think this is really lovely OP and will give your DD such wonderful cosy memories in years to come. Good on you Smile

Angel2702 · 11/02/2020 12:29

We still have books we read together as a family. Usually on the way to school the kids take turns reading then when we get to school I finish reading the chapter. Eldest is 13 and youngest is 9.

feetlikeahobbit · 11/02/2020 12:32

I read with my DD till she was 13/14 we'd do a couple of chapters each just chilling in her room at night. It was lovely.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 11/02/2020 12:33

You are never too old to be read to!

Another vote for audible, here, too. Especially as I have tinnitus - I can put it on at bedtime - fairly low (though DH is as deaf as a post these days) so I can just hear the murmuring of the reader, and it masks my tinnitus and helps me fall asleep to a lovely book. Latest buy is "Erebus" by Michael Palin - the story of an Antarctic exploration.

Of my others favourites are "Wolf Hall" and "Bring up the Bodies" (looking forward to March when the third in the trilogy is released), "Stalingrad", "Jane and Prudence" (Barbara Pym) and "Longbourn" - the Pride and Prejudice story from "below stairs" as it were - there servants' tale. (This is excellent BTW).

I've got one of those Amazon "Fire" things, and I can set if for 5 ,15 minutes, 30 etc, up to an hour, or for a chapter, so it isn't on all night - just enough to get me settled.

Love it!