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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How many books is 'too many' at 8m old?

100 replies

AliceTheCamelHasFiveHumps · 19/08/2020 08:40

Ok, I'm not stealth boasting. I promise. Cross my heart.
My DD 8m has a collection of about 40 board books. Mostly for me really. Because I know she won't get bored of the same three books, but I sure do. She has some upstairs for bedtime and the rest down, on her shelf of the bookcase along with her box of toys.
My friend made a comment and said I was trying too hard :(

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 19/08/2020 08:57

What a bizarre comment to make - is your friend one of those people who don't have books in general? DS has loads and loads of books; most people bought him books when he was born and I pick up new ones whenever I see anything interesting. I'm currently trying to diversify his bookshelf too so buying even more. DS is 1 so thinks books are for eating 🤷🏻‍♀️

BikeTyson · 19/08/2020 08:57

My 2 year old has absolutely loads of books - some I’ve bought, some that were mine when I was little, some she’s had as presents as I always ask for books (to try to limit the amount of plastic tat we end up with). It’s not trying to prove anything I just love books and would like to instil a love of reading in her too. 90% of the time she ignores the books and plays with other stuff but I still like to have them around.

Catawaul · 19/08/2020 08:58

Keep the board books, my DC re read them at age 4/5 when they started reading by themselves - they are brilliant for learning to read as they have rhyming words and are short!

rainylake · 19/08/2020 08:58

There is no such thing as too many books at any age. I just looked at our shelves and I reckon we have about 40 board books too and it never crossed my mind that this was a problem!

Your friend sounds jealous and insecure. If she is being snarky about board books for an 8 month old, what other normal parenting thing is she going to make you feel anxious about later? If you take your dd to a singing group or do painting with her will she make snide comments about you being a pushy mum expecting the next Mozart/Picasso? You might need to practise some polite but firm ways of putting her down if she feels she can make comments like that about your parenting.

sqirrelfriends · 19/08/2020 08:59

You can't have too many books, this is coming from a huge bookworm though.

DS who is 2 has well over a hundred books Blush, some are board books but mostly paper story books now as he's getting older. He has his favourites as you would expect but I would say most of them get read over the month.

Perro · 19/08/2020 09:00

No such thing as too many books! My dc have hundreds.
However, small children enjoy and benefit from repetition, so you may find that as your child finds their voice, they will ask for the same book over and over (and over) again. Boring for you, but talking about what is happening in the pictures (rather then just reading the text) will expand your dc’s vocabulary and understanding.

wonkylegs · 19/08/2020 09:02

You can never have too many books

Shinyletsbebadguys · 19/08/2020 09:03

Your friend is being silly we are surrounded by books in this house all the time varying between board books for when the DC were babies to Thomas picture books for ds2 who can't read yet but is getting used to the feel and concept of books. Ds1 , DP and I are huge readers and ds2 copies us in behaviour . There are many many things (add about 59739 many's to that ) I have got wrong as a parent but exposing my DC to books from day one even small picture ones has developed a love of reading I am proud of.

I'm not sure how it is trying too hard? Or is this one of those inverted snobbery things?

purplemunkey · 19/08/2020 09:03

@Catawaul

Keep the board books, my DC re read them at age 4/5 when they started reading by themselves - they are brilliant for learning to read as they have rhyming words and are short!
I was just about to say the same. We have lots of books to and keep them on a bit of a rotation. Those not on her bookshelf go in a box in the loft until we fancy a change over.

Same as Catawaul, our old board books have all come down again now DD is 5 and she’s reading them herself.

Fivebyfive2 · 19/08/2020 09:03

@AliceTheCamelHasFiveHumps, ignore her, you can't have too many!

My ds is 8 months (we're on the same December baby thread!) and we have lots of books for him. My dh loves reading winnie the pooh to him, so we have those and I read Kipper to him as that's my favourite 🙂 If you enjoy reading to your baby, go for it, I think it can become a really nice 'thing' as they get older, having story time on the sofa or whatever.

ANewNameIsWhat · 19/08/2020 09:04

How weird. If they’re anything like mine they’ll ‘read’ them so much half will be destroyed by time they’re 2. 🤣

literategiraffe · 19/08/2020 09:04

When I was on mat leave last week I would pop into our nearest charity shops most days on the way to or from a class or the park and almost everyday we'd buy a new book. I think DD had about 100 books about all sorts by the time she was a year old. She is 16 months now and loves books about bears mostly and chooses her favourites to "read" regularly.
I dont think you can ever have too many!
Your friend is being a knobber, ignore her.

MeredithGreysScalpel · 19/08/2020 09:05

Buy ALL the books and never feel bad about it.

literategiraffe · 19/08/2020 09:06

Last year that should say!

StripyHorse · 19/08/2020 09:07

'Too many books' is when you no longer have room to store them, or if you can't afford to buy them but keep buying them (thank goodness for libraries!).

I will warn you though OP, when you need to clear them out when your children have outgrown them it is hard. They may be happy to part with The Gruffalo and The Tiger Who Came To Tea, but you might not! Or perhaps that's just me!

YourObedientServant · 19/08/2020 09:09

What a weird thing to say, although some people maybe just don't place importance on books, aren't interested in them or see them as a sign of trying too hard Confused just ignore her.

Board books are great. My two were munching their way through loads at about 8mo old... Grin

Laaalaaaa · 19/08/2020 09:09

My 10 month old has maybe 12 books - I guess I’m a shit parent.

BarbiesWorld · 19/08/2020 09:09

To echo pp, there's no such thing as too many books

JaJaDingDong · 19/08/2020 09:10

There is no such thing as "too many books". At any age.

MynephewR · 19/08/2020 09:13

I love children's books. My kids get new books every birthday and Christmas and we borrow quite a lot from the library (when it's open 🙄). We are running out of space for them though so I suppose, in that sense, you can have too many books.

We've read to DD every night since she was about six months old and it really paid off when she started school. She had such an interest in books that she wanted to be able to read them herself ASAP and picked up reading really quickly. She's nearly 5 and reads Julia Donaldson books as the reading books are boring, takes a while though Grin

Reading lots of books to young children is one of the best things that you can do for them. Sounds like your friend might be jealous and felt a bit inadequate when she saw how many books you have for your baby. Just ignore. Like a pp I know people who have expensive and insta worthy toys and clothes for their young DC but only a couple of books, IMHO they've got their priorities all wrong.

DocOfTheBay · 19/08/2020 09:14

No such thing as too many.

But lots and lots is unnecessary.

Because young children need and thrive in the familiar and the repetitive as well as exploring the new. And however bored you get, going through the same book with an 8 month old time and time again is what they enjoy. They learn anticipation, pattern, rhythm, and vocabulary from repeated associations.

LittleHootie · 19/08/2020 09:14

@Laaalaaaa No one has said there's a lower limit. Managing to feel judged as a result of this innocuous thread is a real skill.

mumwon · 19/08/2020 09:16

when we downsized I judged new house by how many book cases we could fit in!
I use to reward dc with new books rather than sweets - reading to dc is not just about literacy but about doing something together & giving dc the love of reading.

Original poster
AliceTheCamelHasFiveHumps · 19/08/2020 09:17

Phew! 😅 Thank you all so much 💓 I'm not so sure why she thinks that. But I'll call her out next time and ask her.

@FinallyHere she has paper books, but likes to grab, touch and turn the pages at the moment, she crinkled a page 😳, so stick to board books for now ☺️ the paper books are on a shelf for now.

@steff13 I think our equivalent would be Book Start. They give free books to babies and kids. But I'm so lucky, I live in place where there's a free book swap, next village has a small library, and the town that's 3 miles away has a big library and about 15 charity shops!! And the library has just re-opened properly 😃

OP posts:
giletrouge · 19/08/2020 09:18

So by the time your baby is my age they might have about 8 thousand books. And have ditched a person who wanted them to stop buying books. Hmm
And be deeply happy with all the books and a new person who's happy with all the books.
Really, can you have too much broccoli? Sunlight? Oxygen? Joy? No - then you can't have too many books either, because books provide nourishment, light, breath and joy.

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