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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

when did/ will you stop reading bedtime stories?

20 replies

tatt · 16/10/2004 11:59

a friend who is staying with us expressed surprise that our 10 year old still has a bedtime story - actually a few pages of a book rather than a story. She is a fluent reader but still likes to be read to. What do/did other people do?

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MarmaladeSun · 16/10/2004 12:28

Hi Tatt. My children still have a bedtime story, and will continue to as long as they want it. DD is 10 this month, and DS is 7. Even the baby is included and she is only 3 months old! It's an essential part of the day for us as it's a wind down time and the baby usually falls asleep during it. I will be gutted when they decide they don't want it anymore. Don't worry about what anyone else says...both of mine are fluent readers, top of their class, and I am sure it has something to do with the fact that we have always had this. It instilled in them a love of books. Good for you, and keep going

WigWamBam · 16/10/2004 12:36

Bedtime stories snuggled up with Mum or Dad are a magical and comfortable wind-down at the end of the day, and in my opinion it would be a shame to stop them before the child is ready to stop. No-one would think it odd if an adult liked to listen to books on tape, so why would it be odd for a child to want to listen to a story? It's no-one's business but your own and if you are all happy with it, what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

Original poster

tatt · 16/10/2004 14:00

thanks. We aren't going to stop as I think it helps her feel more secure - just wondering if we were really so odd

OP posts:

sleeplessmumof2 · 16/10/2004 14:09

just had to add that my dss and dsd aged 13 and 14 still love having a bedtime story!!!! its just part of our fun warm family routine, we make up made stories instead of reading and every one has a lovely cuddle and laugh before sleep!!! Yep that is sleep for us as they usually stay up messing around for quite a while after.

I would say keep on doing it for as long as she wants it, it is so much more than just the story!!! isnt it?!

suzywong · 16/10/2004 14:11

the day they tell me to get the hell out of their bedroom as their girlfriends are trying to have an early night [grin}

I love the bedtime story, ds2 13mo is just getting in to them and I am so happy.

Angeliz · 16/10/2004 14:12

My dd is 3 but i HOPE that i'll still be reading to her for ages
It's a close thing isn't it?

tatt, jus do what's right for you, everyone has an opinion on everything as a parent don't they??

collision · 16/10/2004 14:35

Arent people rude?? Do what is right for you and ignore what others think. Storytime is a lovely part of the day and you should read to her for as long as she wants to!

agy · 16/10/2004 14:40

The stories get better as they get older!

bonym · 16/10/2004 16:08

I've been reading a bedtime story to dd since she was a baby - she is now 6 1/2 & still loves it. I agree with Marmaladesun that I believe it has instilled a love of books in her - she is also top of the class and a fluent reader. Bedtime wouldn't be the same without it - carry on!

SofiaAmes · 17/10/2004 02:20

My father read to our family every night after dinner until we went off to university. It 's one of my fondest childhood memories.

toddlerbob · 17/10/2004 07:50

The library outreach lady who does the parenting courses I run tells the new mums to keep on reading to your children until they won't let you into the bedroom any more. She reads to her 13 year old dd.

If you suddenly get to old to be read to, then why does anybody listen to the serialisations of books on radio 4? I would imagine that the reading level of the listeners is higher than average too. Does your friend have children?

krocket · 17/10/2004 08:20

SofiaAmes, what a lovely memory, I think being read to is soothing. I only have a 3 yr old but my brother still reads to his 14 year old DS; I'd hope to be able to do the same.

Original poster

tatt · 17/10/2004 09:10

you guessed toodlerbob - no It is a special time, the time when they usually tell one of us if anything is bothering them so I think we'll go until they bar the door Nice to know we aren't the only ones though.

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MarmaladeSun · 17/10/2004 10:12

Confession time here . I get as much as the kids out of story time...actually more as DD plays with my hair and DS runs a car up and down my leg!!!!!! Not my main motivation obviously

Posey · 17/10/2004 21:43

When dd began to be able to read quite fluently herself, she asked if she could read her own bedtime story. I think she felt really grown up with her bedside lamp, reading x number of pages then putting her own light out. Although I felt a bit sad that there'd be no more clambering up onto her bunkbed to read to her, I accepted it as the pasing of another stage. So imagine how pleased I was when after a few weeks of this she asked us to start reading to her again! Usually we (me or dh) read her something, then she reads a bit on her own before turning the light out. She's 7 BTW.

hercules · 17/10/2004 21:44

When dd was born and ds was 8. I will start up a again though as he still really misses it.

roisin · 17/10/2004 21:55

I agree that older children still enjoy being read to, as well as reading themselves ... but I find it more frustrating. If I read a chapter of a book to ds1, he will then finish it in bed ... and I never find out how it ends!

essbee · 17/10/2004 22:23

Message withdrawn

Angeliz · 17/10/2004 22:46

LOL at marmaladesun, i always get dd to draw pictures on my back and i have to guess what they are (not at bedtime though, at telly time+)

Marina · 18/10/2004 09:00

What a lovely memory Sofia, and what very impertinent friends you have tatt! We love sharing stories with ds (5) and it will probably end with him fitting a bolt at 15 to keep us out, books at the ready...
Storytelling is a cultural and social pleasure all over the world for all ages. Pah to your friend.

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