Do you still read a bed time story to your older child?

[noonar]

We do. My dds are 7.5 and almost 10. We always have a chapter book on the go, but don't read every single night.

What is the average age for stopping reading at bed time, I wonder...

DD still likes being read to at 11, even though her reading ability is above average. I think it is because it is "our" time together. I have been reading all the Lemony Snicket books to her and we both want to know what happens next.

bunbaker, just googled a few reviews on lemony snicket... would a v sensitive child find the first book disturbing, dyou think?

Until this summer i have religiously been reading to my DS 9, soon to be be 10 .
We've been reading recently the Arthur Ransome books starting with Swallows and Amazons . Really enjoyed our reading togther but unfortunately we've stopped for some unknown reason , holidays , too many late nights , daddy allowing him ' OK, 10 more mins ' of telly etc etc .
He reads very well but I think we need to get back to me reading to him as I think it is very important .
Really recommend Indian in the cupboard books by the way.

I still read to my dc who is nearly 10.
Not every night, as like dustwhatdust said, daddy allowing 10 more minutes of whatever, sometimes gets in the way.

I'm not sure noonar. We saw the film first and DD wasn't the least bit upset about the story. I don't think the style of writing makes all the terrible things that happen to the Baudelaires sound that bad.

I think it depends on if they are the oldest or the youngest. When my eldest was 10, I was still in the habit of reading bedtime stories, as the younger ones had them - then I'd move into his room and we'd chat sometimes, or sometimes read, depending on what he wanted. Now my youngest is 10 however, I've not read her a regular bedtime story for some years.

I read to my DS who is 10 - we just started War Horse yesterday. He's a good reader but nothing better than a snuggle with him and a story. Time is ticking away and I am making the most of it before he turns into a stinky teenager! LOL

Still read to my 10 y/o dd regularly. We're currently reading Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge - she's previously read it to herself but it is a lovely book to read out loud.

I still like audio books (and being read to) and I am 42 and I have been known to read Just William stories to DH (41) when he is doing the washing up

Eldest DS is dyslexic so a very late reader; I read to him until he was about 12 because I wanted him to like books an to understand that books were about really great stories and escapism. I still read to his DB's of 8 and 11 (11 yr old even more dyslexic). It means I get to read & re-read some really good books too. Win-win!!

I still read to all dses, ages 11, 9 and 4. I couldn't stop even if I wanted to (and I don't) as they kick up a row if they don't get a story.

Chapter books for dses 1 and 2 and short stories for ds3.

They've all been read to since day 1, in fact the first thing ds1 did when he woke up to find ds3 had been born (homebirth in the night) was dig out Each Peach Pear Plum and read it to him. So ds3's first ever story was when he was 10 hours old.

Mr Spi and I take turns reading to our son, who is 11. He's bilingual (German and English) and I'm taking the opportunity to read him English books that he probably wouldn't tackle on his own - currently on "The Box of Delights"

Harriet -how lovely. Each peach pear plum - now that takes me back - such a wonderful book - my son and i loved it so !

Still reading a few nights a week to DS11 (when not Scouts, sports club...)

I'm with KBear....I know I'm on the home straight and a time will come soon when he may not want to snuggle up with his ol' Mum anymore...

Good job ther'e still a few years left for DCs 2+3!

This is nice to read, Ds is only 2.8 and dc2 due in may so sounds like I have many years of snuggled up reading left (though hopefully we'll have moved on from the tiger that came to tea etc )

when I was a child I refused stories from
the age of about 7 - I was a v avid reader and couldn't bear the slow pace of being read to

DD is 12. I do still read to her when she's having a bath sometimes.

I read intermittantly to middle DS who is 7 but the older 2 (9 and 12) are not interested and prefer to read themselves in bed. With middle DS we take turns now with me reading a page and him with a challenging book

Mine are almost 9 and almost 11 and they are read to every night without fail, unless work takes me away overnight, which is rare. We have read all the Hiccup books, some Diana Wynne Jones, the Worst Witch books, horrible Tiara Club and Rainbow Fairies (those are a looooong way in the past, fortunately!) and the entire Tiffany Aching series. We're now on some of the adult Discworld novels - have read Mort, are about to finish Reaper Man and next up is Wyrd Sisters - the DDs love it and they are both way above average readers, but I do the voices and I think that help keep their interest. They also like the fact that TP uses slightly fruity language sometimes - the word 'bugger' still has shock value to them...

I stopped reading to dd1 when she was about 6-7 when she started preferring to read to herself.

I still read intermittantly to dd2, (age 8)the form it's taken since she was 4-5 has been I choose a book I think she'll like but she's not sure. I'll read 1-2 chapters, then if she likes it she'll usually read the rest of it by the next night and is asking if there's a sequel (to read to herself). Her reading age is pretty advanced, so sometimes I slow her down and insist I read it with her if I think there's bits that need explaining. She doesn't really like that though, so would rather read it and ask me later. It worked well with "Goodnight Mr. Tom" last year as she found it a bit upsetting so wanted comfort, didn't work with "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit" because she'd read it before I'd thought about it and was asking for the sequel (which are much darker so they're now hidden)

Ds is 4yo and his general choice of bedtime reading is a good factual book. Preferably on aeroplanes, although he's very fond of a book on Weather which explains different weather in scientific detail and a couple of books setting out WWII part by part. However I've started reading Little House on the Big Woods. So I'll see how he gets on with it, he's a little confused about it being a "true" story but interested in the butchering of the animals. Interestingly that was the bit the girls didn't like!

I also read some research somewhere which says that reading out loud is a useful way of keeping the brain active and warding off dementia, as it uses a lot more mental processes than reading in silence. I'm not sure that doing the voices would count as one of these processes, but I'm willing to give anything a go and reading Terry Pratchett out loud beats the pants off those brain training games in terms of pure fun.

DeWe, if you haven't read it your DS might also like Farmer Boy (about Laura's husband Almanzo when he is aged 9-10). I never had that one as a child for some reason, but it is absolutely fascinating. There is loads of really detailed and specific information about farming & how they did things back then.

I haven't got Farmer Boy, but it is at my parents'. I hadn't really thought of it for ds but I think you're right, he will find it more interesting. I've started with Big Woods because I think it's the easiest and he is only 4yo. I may ask dm if she can bring it next time we see them though. Thanks:

Hmmm probably should have name changed for this but ....... DS is 16 and I still read to him. From tiny he has always loved stories but he found it very difficult to read for himself. It took till he was 13 to get a diagnosis (problems with dyslexia, and convergence issues). Anyway its like Bunbaker says, it our me time. Currently we are reading Dubai the fastest growing city (he loves politics, economics etc). I am aware its probably procrastination on his part but we both enjoy it although I am 100% sure not a single person outside this thread knows about this ;-)

He I still loves Just William and Swallows and Amazons.

I should read more to DD1, I love reading with her but I am ashamed to say it doesn't always happen. Might try and get a copy of Swallows and Amazons, I think she'll love that!

My DDs (4.5, 7.5) both get read to every night and have since they were born. DD2 is just getting to the stage where we can read chapter books (we just finished Olga da Polga). DD1 rattles through books on her own but still loves to listen to stories. I got so sick of not knowing what was happening that we've agreed that she doesn't read ahead in "our" book. It took us ages to get through Farmer Boy with a chapter a night and in the meantime she read the whole of the rest of the series, but she was happy with that and could ask questions about exactly what they were doing, about meanings of words, etc. I will be very sad when they no longer want bedtime stories.

At what age would you recommend starting the Terry Prachett books?