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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to read really shit books to my baby?

234 replies

CooCooCaChu · 22/05/2023 20:25

I've got an eight month old baby. We've got lots of really basic baby books. You know the kind, red circle on one page, blue triangle on the next. Or the endless 'that's not my ...'.

I find it incredibly boring to keep going 'oh look, this is a cow. Moooo.'

If I don't read these basic books, will she miss out on something important developmentally? Or can I skip straight to things with more of a narrative so I don't feel the need to stab myself in the eye just to create a bit of excitement?

Yabu you need to spend hours reading 'here is a car, brum brum'
Yanbu read something more fun, your baby will probably enjoy it more anyway

OP posts:
Ariela · 22/05/2023 22:04

I used to read the basic & boring one, some fairy tale/nursery rhyme ones (we had an illustrated compendium, rhyming stuff eg Dr Seuss), and as she progressed to sleep I'd read MY book out loud till definitely well asleep.

ImNotAsThinkAsYouDrunkIAm · 22/05/2023 22:05

Am I the only one who hated Each Peach Pear Plum and Peepo? They just seemed so…..twee.

Rightnowstraightaway · 22/05/2023 22:05

I read the first three Harry Potter to my baby. Eventually went to things like Charlie and Lola when dc was old enough to take more active interest. Lots of Julia Donaldson. I don't read the super basic books much unless dc requests them, which they do occasionally. They have amazing vocabulary but who knows if it's related.

SouthLondonMum22 · 22/05/2023 22:05

Have you tried 'Go the fuck to sleep?'. Best book ever.

knobheeeeed · 22/05/2023 22:07

I know someone who read the Communist Manifesto to his baby. Baby absolutely loved it. You have to read it in an appropriate voice though - changes of pitch etc, to keep the baby's interest.

horseymum · 22/05/2023 22:10

Mog, Hairy McLairy, Alan Ahlberg- loads of good children's books. They don't mind what you read. Rhythm, repetition, enjoyment, familiarity, novelty, seeing you reading for pleasure and information, books for them to handle, all sorts of reading. Library books, charity shop books, any sort you enjoy. Read to them lots.

ImNotAsThinkAsYouDrunkIAm · 22/05/2023 22:11

knobheeeeed · 22/05/2023 22:07

I know someone who read the Communist Manifesto to his baby. Baby absolutely loved it. You have to read it in an appropriate voice though - changes of pitch etc, to keep the baby's interest.

This reminded me of when I was listening to an audiobook when my youngest was a a baby. It was read by an American with a really droning tone. It would, unfailingly, send the baby to sleep. It became my -
slightly strange - secret weapon!

Kreftla · 22/05/2023 22:11

At 8m we only had board books or they would rip them - that was just to play with during the day . Didn’t read at bedtime, they just had a bath then bed. They weren’t bothered at all and neither were we (same with tummy time when newborn, they just screamed and we didn’t push it- they say up eventually!).

They’re now 2 and pull books out for us to read, know all the pages, make the noises of the animal, say the bunny looks ‘happy’ etc. They choose a story to read before bed (sometimes they’re just knackered also we don’t bother). I don’t want to sound like a classic Mumsnetter, but even if I switch on the tv, they ignore it and pull out books - and believe me I do relish 10m of Hey Duggee time to chill on the sofa.

So no, I don’t think you’ll be impacting their development. When they were ill in their cot at night I used to read the novel I was reading on my kindle aloud. Usually highly unsuitable!

Sugarfree23 · 22/05/2023 22:12

ImNotAsThinkAsYouDrunkIAm · 22/05/2023 22:05

Am I the only one who hated Each Peach Pear Plum and Peepo? They just seemed so…..twee.

Me I bought them for my now 6yo. Maybe it's partly they also seemed very dated. DH didn't like them either.

EarthSight · 22/05/2023 22:13

OP what did you expect this would be like?? You're not dealing with someone on your level. You're dealing with a tiny being who is seeing the world probably like an adult would if they were having a mild acid trip. Everything is amazing, fantasticating, tasting or terrifying.

This isn't about finding mutual entertainment in what they like. Your job is to facilitate their learning and enjoyment of the world that is age appropriate to them.

ImNotAsThinkAsYouDrunkIAm · 22/05/2023 22:16

EarthSight · 22/05/2023 22:13

OP what did you expect this would be like?? You're not dealing with someone on your level. You're dealing with a tiny being who is seeing the world probably like an adult would if they were having a mild acid trip. Everything is amazing, fantasticating, tasting or terrifying.

This isn't about finding mutual entertainment in what they like. Your job is to facilitate their learning and enjoyment of the world that is age appropriate to them.

Yes, god forbid you should actually enjoy reading to your child. Didn’t you know, OP, you’re a mum now, you’re not supposed to enjoy things, it’s your job now 🙄

Namastaymyassathome · 22/05/2023 22:17

See if you can find Sandra Boynton books (I used to get them in the USA). Very cute and definitely made the adult readers giggle rather than want to stab themselves in the eye

Verysadatwork · 22/05/2023 22:17

My concern about the War and Peace option is editions. You really need a 19th Century edition as then the dialogue will be in French.

drpet49 · Today 20:46
Sunnysunbun · Today 20:25

“Go straight to War and Peace.”
“This.”

PeopleAreShit · 22/05/2023 22:17

Friend read Harry Potter to their babies until they were big enough to start following the pictures etc. I thought that sounded a great idea!

Sugarfree23 · 22/05/2023 22:17

@EarthSight I'm quite sure Op is more than capable of pointing out actual cows, sheep and telephones to her baby without having such items in very dull boring books.
Picture books with an actual story and rhythm don't need to be dull and boring and are still age appropriate for a small baby or toddler.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 22/05/2023 22:18

Just get some nice rhyming children's stories.

Snail and the Whale
All the Hairy Maclary books
Oi Frog

The That's Not My.... books are great to lay out on the floor at playtime for her to grab and feel All the textures you don't need to read them.

VestaTilley · 22/05/2023 22:20

YANBU. We did a bit of Where’s Baby Chick etc to help teach DS his colours, animals and to lift the flap, but we moved on to things like Julia Donaldson and Janet and Allan Ahlberg very quickly.

Children love rhymes and pictures, and it helps build their vocabulary. Obviously don’t read something too far advanced to them when they’re 18 months, say, as they’ll get bored, but you can go a bit further on that just showing them a picture of a cow etc.

EarthSight · 22/05/2023 22:20

ImNotAsThinkAsYouDrunkIAm · 22/05/2023 22:16

Yes, god forbid you should actually enjoy reading to your child. Didn’t you know, OP, you’re a mum now, you’re not supposed to enjoy things, it’s your job now 🙄

Show quote history

Call it what you want - 'role' is it suits. I just wouldn't expect to find much entertainment from such an activity because again, they're not geared towards you. Of course the book is going to be boring to an adult. Making sounds with each page probably gets really old after a while. The main entertainment is seeing the baby look at something, being interested in it maybe.

EarthSight · 22/05/2023 22:21

Sugarfree23 · 22/05/2023 22:17

@EarthSight I'm quite sure Op is more than capable of pointing out actual cows, sheep and telephones to her baby without having such items in very dull boring books.
Picture books with an actual story and rhythm don't need to be dull and boring and are still age appropriate for a small baby or toddler.

And there would be nothing wrong with that. It's doesn't have to be in a picture book.

Optionshighlights · 22/05/2023 22:21

I read proper books from day 1, but also the simple ones interspersed. My twins would sit through whole stories and listen intently.
now they are preschoolers l desperately try to take the shortest book possible for bedtime because I have to read it 6 times and they have to read it twice each…argh 😅
Jokes aside, read the books you love!

Disappointed1 · 22/05/2023 22:25

Eric Carle and Dear Zoo. After 8 months.

hellswelshy · 22/05/2023 22:25

Op try Bear in a square and the others in that series by Stella Blackstone they are great & fab illustrations. Also loved the Mog series, Tiger who came to tea, Dogger & pretty much all Shirley Hughes books. There are great books out there!

Dummycrusher · 22/05/2023 22:27

NEVER let a book with puzzle pieces built into it enter your house. EVER.

CoronationKicking · 22/05/2023 22:29

Ten fat sausages
Kitchen disco
Marcello Mouse

Much more fun than a stupid tiger drinking all the water and all of daddy's beer 🙄🙄

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 22/05/2023 22:30

We used to read Julia Donaldson to baby dd. Not sure if that's the level of literature you're looking for but a bit more depth than red ball etc

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