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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think schools should send reading books home over the holidays?

166 replies

DeepaBeesKit · 20/12/2021 11:49

My kids school hasnt sent any reading book or library book home at all for the holidays. AIBU to think this is daft because
a) it sends the message that reading is hard/not enjoyable and one needs a "break" from it
b) its likely to widen the gaps between children with engaged parents who'll ensure their kids keep reading/enjoying books any way, and the kids for whom the reading book from school was the only book in the house.
c) it's a shame for a keen reader who'd happily get stuck into a book over the winter holidays when the weather is crap outside.

OP posts:
MintJulia · 20/12/2021 20:39

Public libraries are open, charity shops are full of books. There are plenty of books for those who want them.

SleepingStandingUp · 20/12/2021 20:55

@MintJulia

Public libraries are open, charity shops are full of books. There are plenty of books for those who want them.
Except if the person who wants them is 6, they still need an adult to facilitate that. And if the adult isn't interested, at least they could have their school books.
AnnaSW1 · 20/12/2021 21:06

My children have come hone with reading books

BogRollBOGOF · 20/12/2021 21:09

DS1 is dyslexic. DS2 has visual stress but no diagnosis of dyslexia (and it's being tricky to get my concerns taken seriously with lack of contact and the impacts of failing to cope with 6.5 months of home learning.)

Reading set books is a chore to some children. We have a culture of reading, a house full of books and I've always taken care to buy attractive, accessible interesting books. The Star Wars early readers did so much for engaging DS1 much more than endless "Oh Floppy! No Floppy!"

After years of labouriously listening to the DCs reading, remote learning finished me off with the reading record culture, but we're playing the long game. I still read with and to the DCs. We use audio books to make more complex stories come alive and my attitude is very much about creating a culture of reading for life rather than the tickbox approach.

The difficulty for schools is that different families have different expectations. Some will want to plough to the top of the reading scheme. Some see books as litter rather than literature. For a number of years Ordnance Survey gave out free local maps to y7s and in some areas the kids saw no value in this useful free gift and would dymp them as rubbish on the way home. It's difficult to do much with that kind of small, closed mindset. Families with good intentions and lack of access to resources need the support.

Hercisback · 20/12/2021 21:20

We didn't get a book sent home. I guessed it is because the return rate is low and the school can't afford to replace them.

You won't close the attainment gap by sending a book home at Christmas. It's a lot more complex than that.

KaycePollard · 20/12/2021 21:42

My kids school hasnt sent any reading book or library book home at all for the holidays. AIBU to think this is daft

Do you not belong to your local library (borrow books for free) or buy books for your children? If you’ve spent money on plastic tat for Christmas why haven’t you bought books? You can pick up new books at lots of shops (eg The Works) for less than the cost of a McDonald’s hamburger. You could keep a steady supply of books for your children from local charity or second hand bookshops. My local Oxfam sells a range of children’s books for on average about 50p to a pound each.

There’s no excuse not have books in the house for your children.

Sending school books home is a recipe for mountains of e tea work for hard-pressed teachers. Families losing or destroying books, not bringing them back, bringing them back damaged or unreadable.

Go to the local library, or buy your own, and help your DC develop their own tastes in reading.

SleepingStandingUp · 20/12/2021 22:55

There’s no excuse not have books in the house for your children
There's no excuse for not reading at least a couple of ops posts

Second post : I've got a house full of books so my DC can read whenever. That's not true for some of the children in their school.

Love the PA comment about Maccies. You forgot to point out they also give out books 😂
You can pick up new books at lots of shops (eg The Works) for less than the cost of a McDonald’s hamburger

SleepingStandingUp · 20/12/2021 22:57

Families losing or destroying books, not bringing them back, bringing them back damaged or unreadable.
Kids are sent home with books daily. Why do we assume they all wait for Xmas to destroy them??

Workinghardeveryday · 20/12/2021 23:00

It’s the Christmas break. Let them have break ffs.

If you want them to read so desperately provide your own books? I don’t get it.

ldontWanna · 20/12/2021 23:20

@DeepaBeesKit

The main (pre-covid) reason at our school seems to be this idea that reading is a chore from which you deserve a break. I think that's the part I disagree with most.

I don't think this qualified as a teacher bashing thread, given that many schools do send home books it's clearly something that divides opinion.

Well for some kids/parents it is. And being sent by the school comes with it's own pressure and expectations.

The kids who enjoy reading will generally have access to books anyways.

We don't send books home over the holidays but we never say no if a parent or child asks and either pop some in or send the child to pick themselves.

Mocara · 20/12/2021 23:29

Why dont parents parent and stop expecting schools to do it for them. It would take an eternity to list all that school staff do then add all the christmas and pandemic expectations on top of that ! . I drew the line however when asked to do a lesson on teaching children how to blow their nose properly !!!!

babachic · 20/12/2021 23:37

I agree books home would be a lovely idea and glad to hear some schools do it.

Unfortunately for my school, we are unable to as the majority of books don't come back after a long break/holiday, resulting in shortages of books for in-class literacy/no class sets and there isn't enough money to keep buying new books.

kingat · 20/12/2021 23:38

I think if the parent/child want to read they would buy books or borrow from library. If they dont want, book from school wouldnt make them.

babachic · 20/12/2021 23:39

@SleepingStandingUp

Families losing or destroying books, not bringing them back, bringing them back damaged or unreadable. Kids are sent home with books daily. Why do we assume they all wait for Xmas to destroy them??
The schools I've worked in the past 2 years haven't sent reading books home because they are destroyed/misplaced year round. Reading is an in class activity and pages are photocopied/recorded to be shared with children at home if required for a literacy task or homework.
Tigger85 · 20/12/2021 23:47

My D's is in reception and he came home with one book as usual last Thursday. we asked if it would be possible for him to have a couple more for the holidays, they said no one had ever requested that before but they gave him an extra 3 books on friday. We do have lots of books at home but they are more for a parent to read to him, it's helpful to have a few at his current reading level and he has been enjoying doing his reading homework.

SleepingStandingUp · 21/12/2021 00:13

@Mocara

Why dont parents parent and stop expecting schools to do it for them. It would take an eternity to list all that school staff do then add all the christmas and pandemic expectations on top of that ! . I drew the line however when asked to do a lesson on teaching children how to blow their nose properly !!!!
But they send them home every other week, or should they stop that too? It's literally no extra work than any other week unless you disagree with kids being allocated books
SleepingStandingUp · 21/12/2021 00:14

@babachic that's ridiculous

babachic · 21/12/2021 00:17

@SleepingStandingUp it is awful. But it's just a reflection of the poor funding and resources given to schools these days Sad

SleepingStandingUp · 21/12/2021 00:18

[quote babachic]@SleepingStandingUp it is awful. But it's just a reflection of the poor funding and resources given to schools these days Sad[/quote]
I meant the parents BTW. How do you destroy books routinely or lose them that often?? I've sent the odd one back with extra cellotape and I've lost one over first lock down but I paid for it but it's a rarity in 4 years!

elliejjtiny · 21/12/2021 00:33

My year 6 dc is a free reader so he reads a book from home anyway. My year 3 and year 4 dc are on the school reading scheme and they didn't bring home a school reading book. Tbh I was relieved. My dc will happily read their own books to themselves or to their teddies etc at a time that suits them. Getting them to read the school reading book to me is a nightly battle though and it's nice to have a break.

DappyApple · 21/12/2021 09:28

I wish my dcs school would have given them a break over the holidays when they were in primary. Books got sent home relentlessly throughout the week, weekends, and holidays with exception of the summer break.
But because they put so much pressure on reading (yet spellings weren’t important) my dd who did struggle at school absolutely hated reading aloud. She lost the joy of reading altogether. I would have to fill in her diary without knowing whether she’d read the book or not!

She was so much better reading her own books at her own pace with no added pressure.

Ive had to replace/pay for a few lost school books over the years, and spent many a Monday morning searching for a misplaced book.
I would have much rather used dds own books to do home reading.

Rainartist · 21/12/2021 09:40

@DeepaBeesKit

library

I'm mindful of the kids in homes where no one will take them.

Unfortunately if the childs parents are not engaged with their learning they probably wouldn't encourage the child to read anyway if they didn't want to. A child who wants to read will find a way to do so and even if a book was sent home will probably have finished it quickly anyway.
gingerbiscuits · 21/12/2021 10:28

@Randallthecat

The reason our children haven’t got reading books is that half our staff went off with covid. Brought in by children whose entire families had covid, except the child who hadn’t had a positive lateral flow. Surprise surprise these children DID have covid, passed it on to staff. So on half the staff we have supervised children, done calendars, Christmas cards, Christmas parties, Christmas decorations, Christmas dinner, zoom assemblies, Christmas jumper day, handing out Christmas cards and all the other tat that primary age children love to do at Christmas, and that lots of parents would complain if they didn’t receive - ON TOP of assessments, English, maths and topic, as well as safeguarding, being social workers, doctors, parents, hairdressers, cleaners and the myriad of other jobs being a teacher entails. So apologies our reading books didn’t get sent out, perhaps Santa might bring your child a book. And I now have covid for Christmas, so that’s an extra bonus.
100% feel your pain & completely understand. It's been a hell of a term in education - the worst so far - & that's saying something, considering the past 2yrs!! 💗 Hope you feel less awful very soon!
Plumbear2 · 21/12/2021 10:40

It's Christmas, let them have a break. If you child wants to read then provide the books for them. My son's in high school and tjank fully has no homework. Is been a tough term and he needs a break to just relax, play and enjoy himself as do primary kids. It's not school time, it's up to you to provide the books.

KaycePollard · 21/12/2021 13:01

@Randallthecat

The reason our children haven’t got reading books is that half our staff went off with covid. Brought in by children whose entire families had covid, except the child who hadn’t had a positive lateral flow. Surprise surprise these children DID have covid, passed it on to staff. So on half the staff we have supervised children, done calendars, Christmas cards, Christmas parties, Christmas decorations, Christmas dinner, zoom assemblies, Christmas jumper day, handing out Christmas cards and all the other tat that primary age children love to do at Christmas, and that lots of parents would complain if they didn’t receive - ON TOP of assessments, English, maths and topic, as well as safeguarding, being social workers, doctors, parents, hairdressers, cleaners and the myriad of other jobs being a teacher entails. So apologies our reading books didn’t get sent out, perhaps Santa might bring your child a book. And I now have covid for Christmas, so that’s an extra bonus.
@Randallthecat Thanks for all you do - and I'm sorry that so many parents have so little respect for your health & safety, and that the government has pushed teachers under the bus over these last 2 years.