DD15 still reading dork diaries

[philomenacunky]

My dd turned 15 in feb. Shes a perfectly normal 15 year old and doesn't enjoy childish things. The other day though I saw her reading a Dork diaries book, is this normal for her age? If you're not aware these are books aimed at much younger children. I know she is capable of reading much more mature books than this, she reads things like Of Mice and Men, Macbeth, Christmas carol etc for school.

I haven't told her off for this I'm just very confused, why is she reading these books at her age? Aibu for thinking it's weird?

I’m still read my sons Horrid Henry books. They’re hilarious.

@Magicmagician agreed. Just like I sometimes like watching cartoons just to make everything in the world ok at that moment.

@philomenacunky This is a most definitely a type of comfort. It's like us re watching shows like Friends over and over. We know the outcome, it provides us with certainty and offers us comfort in a world of so much uncertainty. I wouldn't worry to much.

I'm 60 years old and, in the past year, have read Agatha Christie's Poirot books, Richard Osman's whodunnits, The Naughtiest Girl in School by Enid Blyton, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan and Derek Landy (Skulduggery Pleasant), The Handmaid's Tale, Lord of the Rings and two Janice Hallett whodunits along with some authors whose names I've forgotten.

A few weeks ago I was clearing out some of DS's old books and came across his Thomas the Tank Engine books, sat down and enjoyed a load of them. Happy memories.

I don't think any of the above have helped or hindered my intelligence to be honest.

As long as she's reading a cross section of books you should be happy. Some of my books push my thoughts, others just make me happy (like a comfy pair of socks or a bar of Galaxy). Horses for courses.

DS, who is starting his GCSEs any day now, has reverted to reading Lego magazines and anything Star Wars! He's had enough of Dickens, Shakespeare and the modern classic he's had to analyse to the final full stop. He just wants to relax.

Just be pleased she's reading. I work with some secondary school students who see reading as a punishment or boring. One said to me what's the point of reading, they'll be working for their dad when they leave school and he doesn't read much. If they picked up Dork Diaries from our library, I'd dance around the school!

I'm closer to 60 than 50 and I have a collection of Horrible Histories books that I re-read every now and then........I also have the complete works of Shakespear that I've read as well.
"Stopping a child from reading something they enjoy is to stop a child reading", as my old English A level teacher once said.

I've just bought a copy of The Magician's Nephew and I'm 53. Do I need to turn myself into the reading police?

I’m 56, have an English degree from Cambridge and am a secondary school English teacher in a v academic school and sometimes still read Ballet Shoes and Anne of Green Gables. It’s perfectly normal and the sign of a real reader I would say. As for telling her off - why would you, surely she can read what she likes?

It’s just comfort reading. Lots of people read old favourites from childhood and like to look back at things they enjoyed.

Stop being so judgemental, it’s not like she’s reading spot the dog and even if she was who is she harming.

She is reading -that in itself is "A good thing"
I still read books that I first read in 1970s, - Len Deighton, Gavin Lyall. It helps the brain rest it is just on tick over, I'm not revving it.

Why would you tell her off? I love re-reading my childhood favourites, especially when life feels uncertain and strange 😕

Per se. If we’re being pedantic. Which you are.

What do you think will happen to her intelligence if she reads books that are young for her rather than Stephen King?

Who cares what she likes to read? Leave your poor daughter alone and stop judging her!

Good grief, why shouldn't she read what she wants to? I picked up a Winnie the Pooh in a second hand bookshop the other week and was engrossed.

Why do you assume that reading books that are too easy are going to make her less intelligent?

As an ex teacher I strongly believe that children who read (no matter what they read) for pleasure and read regularly perform better academically than peers who are forced into it.

The parents who did what you're talking about doing succeeded only in crushing their children's love of reading.

You shouldn't see reading books as a list of titles to get through so you can move to the next level, increasing intelligence. Books are about using your imagination and getting lost it them. They are like watching a movie but in your mind. They are about feeling like you know the characters like they're your friends. There is nothing like a good book and a person who loves reading will carry that with them for the rest of their lives.

Mumsnet is so busy and I often read content a lot worse than this of course but something about this thread has made me feel really sad for your daughter. I used to devour books as a teenager and my mum would look out for ones by the same author and look out for new ones in the series I liked and bring them home for me excitedly, knowing how happy I would be. I'm so glad I had that.

OP, I am in my thirties and I have a good degree and a postgraduate qualification. I currently earn a good living and support my family. I've recently reread the Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, Mortal Instruments and Divergent series. If each page decreases my intelligence then maybe I need to let my work know as soon I'll probably just be a dribbling mess.

Please don't 'tell her off' - that would be unkind, and tbh ridiculous anyway!

Nothing wrong with a bit of comfort reading every now and then, in between other books.

I remember re-reading some of my childhood/teen books as I got older as a comfort. I have read, and re-read Harry Potter books - all children's books. I re-read Adrian Mole and The Secret Garden not that long ago - and I am MUCH older than your DD.

Nothing wrong with having a nice, non-taxing comfort read you can return to every now and again!

I'm not "criticising" her, I'm worried for her intelligence

I don't think re-reading a book aimed at a couple of years younger than you are is going to reduce her intelligence levels. Do you, really?

Thank goodness I have an e-reader!

Least people like the OP couldn't judge my reading material.

I am hope your DD invests in a kindle or similar soon - then she can read without her mum criticising her!

does it matter what she reads? get a grip.

You are obviously unaware of the huge market of Young Adult Fiction. It is wonderful. Most of it starts from Year 5 upwards.

How old are you, OP? I would say that with a 15 year old, you are probably early to mid 40s. Therefore you probably remember that Enid Blyton books were banned for many years in the UK for being racist and badly written.

That said, imagining that you are genuinely concerned, why don't you try and find out what some better titles would be for your daughter at her age. Not Stephen King, obviously, educate yourself first, but there is some great young adult literature out there, why not get her some Malorie Blackman?

YABU.

You sound unpleasant.

She's not 'stuck on Dork Diaries'.

She's got plenty of thoughtful reading to do for school and is zoning out with something effortless/unchallenging.

It's called 'mental chewing gum': keeps the faculties ticking over while not using up any mental energy.

Leave her be.

Yep, 33 and have reread the Georgia Nicholson books quite a few times, they will never not be funny. Can't believe she died before releasing a set for adults.

Bottom line, @philomenacunky - do you want to put your daughter off reading altogether? Because if you do, then criticising what she chooses to read, and thinking she is thick for choosing something you don’t think is challenging enough, is a fine way of achieving that.

I reread the Chalet school stories while I was nursing, and went on to go to university and got a degree in Music and Politics - reading fiction intended for children did not harm my intelligence at all.

To be honest, it doesn’t sound as if you like your older dd as much as your younger one. Nothing but glowing words for the younger dd’s choice of reading matter, but the older one reads something from when she was younger and is doomed to become a dunce.

At 15 I was reading all sorts but I was also still watching Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network! 🤣🤣🤣