How many books does your child have?

[UndertheCedartree]

I was putting away the books my DC got for their birthdays (a couple of months ago!) and took off the shelf some that were too young or had been read but I didn't think they would read again etc.

I can't help but think they have tonnes of books! I remember as a child having probably less than a quarter of what they have and read them over and over. Not sure they have ever re-read a book! They have 2 shelves each packed with books plus another 20 odd books on another shelf (tall ones that don't fit in bookcase). My DS also has a couple of big Trofast bins filled with books he has bought (as he is very precious about his books and doesn't like anyone touching them!) And that's only fiction they have a shelf each of non-fiction downstairs! My DD also reads books on her Kindle and has all the Mallory Towers, all the Worst Witch and various others on there.

My DS is a book worm and DD is getting really into reading now too. They are 14 and 9. I know some people say 'you can never have enough books' - I don't really agree with this - I only have a small house so there has to be some limits! And the library is always there.

Interested to hear how many books your DC have and if you set any limits?

@pleasedonttextmyman - wow that is a lot! And you had as many? I would have loved that as a child, although I did enjoy re-reading my favourites and knew them back to front!

This is why we’ve switched to a kindle. Dd 13 has made her way through all the (age appropriate) books in the 3 local libraries. We started buying them from charity shops, but they were taking over the house. Even after giving most of her collection back to the library, there’s still around 80-90 she refuses to part with

@IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves - the minimalist in me is very jealous! Do people never buy them books, though?

It’s hard with autism. I have a relative with autism and he won’t be parted from his books despite efforts! So I sympathise!

@DayKay - really need to declutter too!

@Thesearmsofmine - DS is home-educated! Don't think we'd have quite so many non-fiction books, otherwise!

Bloody loads and she's only four! They're everywhere!!!

Ds1 has kind of grown out of reading so I've passed a lot of his books on. He still has some manga though. Ds2 whos 8 has a full billy bookshelf plus more scattered on his bedside table and chest of drawers. He lives to read and will have finished the 3 new ones from the library before the end of the week. Dd has a smaller room so no room for a bookshelf yet. She has a large storage box full and as she improves her independent reading skills I imagine that number will grow.

@LtDansleg - yes, this is it - taking over the house! Books, toys, games, clothes - we have too many!!

Hundreds - all my old childhood books, and all the books they have acquired themselves.

Ones that have been "outgrown" - things like The Gruffalo - have now been passed on to cousins.

They have a bookcase each in their bedrooms, and another shared one on the landing, and they are stuffed full.

They’re 5 and 3 and probably over a 1000 (closer to two in reality 🙈)

I love books, and wanted to be a librarian. DH loves looks, as do both sets of grandparents.

The kids know I’d rather buy a book
Than a magazine. I also can’t resist a new book.

Smallest DC broke my kindle today (freak accident) and I feel like I’ve had my arm cut off. (There may have been tears and chocolate).

I agree with the poster above, it's so much cheaper to buy the box sets than individual books, we end up with loads.

We tend to buy at least a couple of books per school theme as well, when before we probably would have borrowed them from the library.

I personally don't want kindles for them until they start secondary school, then it's a mix. I hate the term, but you can't put "coffee table books" and comics on a kindle.

I do try to keep the comics (Tintin etc) in the garage.

I like to clearout after the summer as the holiday is the only chance to really read again things they've forgotten, so it's easier when they are back at school.

Magazines and newspapers are binned/recycled after 1 month, that's my only rule. I hate clutter.

DS 10 has probably about 120 ish There have been lots of clear outs. However, he chooses never to read fiction. He likes me to read at night to him, and takes in every detail, but if I didn't do this, they wouldn't get read. He will read non fiction, sometimes. If I do ask him to read, he is excellent, very expressive, and exceeds expectations for age, but it still worries me. I'm an avid reader and just don't get it. I had lots of books as a child, many handed down, and also went to the library every week. Like you OP I reread books, but couldn't bear to now. I'd be delighted to be you, with a bookworm child, but I don't have the problem with DS not letting me give away books! Our last lot went to school Christmas sale.

My DS is 2 and has around 40. He loves books and being read to.

OP, books are not clutter!

My DD2 has about 150 books and we go to the library quite often too.
Books are the one thing we don't have a spending limit on. I was never allowed to buy books as a kid and had to use the library. I do love libraries but it's also nice to own your favourite books, and you can buy a wider range than libraries often have.

@Marmite27 - DS wants to be a librarian! 2000 books - you must have a lot more storage than me! I do think myself and my DC do better when we have less things as it just gets overwhelming sometimes. I really don't like busy visuals. Obviously others enjoy a much larger personal library!

We measure them in meters! 11yo has about 6m books in her room another couple of meters of kids/ young adult books on the landing. 9yo has 4.5m of books. We've recently got rid of a load so we're down to there are probably another 20-25m books around the rest of the house. We all have kindles too. Plus library books!

@Looubylou - he's still got time to get the reading bug! My 9 yo is only just getting into books and I think it was around 11 yo that DS really took off with his reading. Like you I have always read to them so even when they weren't avid readers they were enjoying books.

@FangsForTheMemory - too be honest for me anything can become clutter if there are too many of things (I e don't all fit in storage) and if they are not used and enjoyed. And for us having too much stops us being able to use and enjoy!

3 year old has over 200 (mostly bought by me but also lots by grandparents).

Like Covid, the numbers grow exponentially, peak and then we manage to reduce them by getting rid of a few of the baby ones. We're in a growth period atm. They're really into worms right now so I've just bought Worm Weather and Superworm to read with them and their grandparents brought the Hairy Maclary collection with them last week so that's another ten books .

But I don't mind that much... we read at least 4 books every night at bedtime and I get bored if we're always reading the same thing. And we mostly buy secondhand which keeps the cost down.

@Pigeonpocket - yes, it's always enjoyable to have the full set if it's a series you really like!

@Jessicabrassica - love it measuring in metres! Certainly sounds like my DC are not alone in having lots of books!

@SlothinSpirit - aww you've just reminded me of the toddler years! I have kept some of their favourite picture books - Tiger who came to Tea, Dogger, The Snail and the Whale...❤️

More than I have room for! We try to donate some twice a year and I use the library once a fortnite to get 12 books each time for her. She's 3.5 yrs old so I know her attention span is short at this age