"You don't want a book; they're not very interesting"

[Hulababy]

That was the sad comment I overheard, among others, in ELC today.

I was in there today, looking at books for DD, as they were in the sale. DD is 3y 4m and she adores books. She literally has hundreds of books, of varying types. And she will sit and read to, or will read to herself/her dollies for ages at a time. Books have been a big part of DD's life since being weeny, and I hope it will stay like this.

However, there was a couple in there with their little boy, who was maybe 2 or 3. He was quite tall/big, but not talking much - so maybe the former. Anyway, he was onbviously being bought something for himself, and he had the choice of what he wanted. The little boy started to look at books, but his arents (both sadly appeared to agree with each other) made this sad comment.

"You don't want a book; they're not very interesting"

The little boy was originally quite determined to keep looking at the books, but his parents were having none of it. They rubbished his comments about the books And finally guided him off to look at toys.

Just felt sad about it. Books are really big in our house, and feel that the little boy is being asked to miss out by not being encouraged when he shows an interest.

[mummyhill]

Fislil/Lunarsea - Add my collection and we probably support a large town or city. It is possible that the parents are illiterate, i would prefer to believe this than that they can't be bothered.

[fisil]

Just to add: Drs waiting room yesterday. Ds1 wanted the same Maisy book reading through for a second, then 3rd time. So I did so, happily. Then another little boy got hold of it and took it over to his mum and asked her to read it, and she said "no, we've already heard it." Missing the point?

[Easy]

Haven't read all this, so sorry if repeating.

Ds had books from being 2 or 3 weeks old, I would cuddle him and look at the pictures with him even at that age. By 9 months he had his own library card, and now (Very nearly 6) he reads by himself every day, and we read a bedtime story together most days.

This family are the type who will waste the opportunity of the free bag of books the govt. are planning to give away to all families.

I feel sorry for this little mite, and just hope that his parents haven't turned him off books before pre-school or reception manage to get hold of him.

[dillydally]

I think the free book government idea is a bit crap - if parents like reading they will buy books , if they don't you get this kind of affair as described by Hula.
Put the money into libraries please.

[Easy]

I agree dillydally.

Meant also to say that ds is becoming an obsessive reader. You know, the sort that reads the cereal packets at breakfast, just because they are there.

[stitch]

i dont buy books.
but i love reading. life without books and access to my local library is a life not worth living.
if i was still buying books the way i used to, i would have no space to move, or breathe in my house, and no money to buy food, as all spent on buying books!

[homemama]

I agree that the government book scheme isn't the best use of resources. Instead of wasting money giving books to families like most of ours on this thread, target the money towards families that need the support.
We cannot expect parents with poor literacy skills themselves to foster a love of reading in their children.

[homemama]

Obviously if my literacy skills were better, that last sentence would have read,
Foster, in their children, a love of reading.

[Marina]

Agree Dillydally - but it should be spent on BOOKS. Too much government funding has been diverted onto the People's Network IMO. It is a good thing but not at the expense of giving children access to the printed (and colourful) page.
I'm a librarian in higher education and it seems to me that all our students have good ICT skills via school or home. But FAR too many of them don't seem to understand the basics of contents pages, indexes, citations and bibliographies. Much less the sheer pleasure of a well-produced book as an artefact. Or even the thrill of a good plot unfurling. All this starts with Shirley Hughes, Quentin Blake, Lucy Cousins and many others.
Our students are at least all literate and I feel so for the little boy whose experiences started this thread...and when I think that there are many, many others like him out there beyond Mumsnetland.

[bundle]

but dilly, getting just one or two books into a home could be the start of a life-long love affair with reading...getting a non-booky parent into a library is even less likely than getting them to buy books if they're not in the habit.