Do you cry whilst reading to the children?

[MrsNormanMaine]

I just read The Story of Holly and Ivy (Rummer Godden) to my children (5 and 3) and burst into tears. I do get very into the reading and I loved it when I was a child. Maybe due to recent bereavements (parents) or just being older and a parent myself - or being a sentimental nutter - but have you sobbed openly due to being moved by a story you are reading to your children? How did they react? What did you say?

My daughter was concerned and sweet, my son thought it was hilarious but was also very sweet and tried to get me to read the same bit over and over to see if it kept happening. All in all I think it added something!

I did the same thing reading The Diddakoi (when the Does were going to send Joe to the knackers). Must stop with Rummer Godden!

I have literally never been able to read the the whole of 'Guess How Much I Love You' without sobbing. It's the laying him down in the bed of leaves and whispering with a smile that kills me every time.

Also, the verses to the song 'Too-Ra-Loo-Ra' are impossible to sing without crying.

And the 'Mum' part of monkey puzzle.

Agree with 'house inside my Mummy' - have just bought it for dd as am pregnant and DH laughed as I sat there sobbing as I read it to her (pregnancy hormones...)

Forgot about Owl babies that one gets me too!

I cried at the end of Michael Morpogo's Kensuke's Kingdom. I had not read it before hand and was so moved. It became the stuff of legend in my school, the Year 6's couldn't believe it. I get very choked at Peepo with my own dd, I think it is so evocative of my grandparents, it gets me every time, the love bounces off the page.

Oh the end of Peepo - agree with you there bamboo.

The last Pooh Bear story where they walk off into an enchanted place and we leave them there...

don't want to hijack this,but how do you react when your kids ask about DIANA? I was never a great fan or anything...but,whenever she appears on the screen and the kids ask about "that Princess", I get quite choked.Kids look at me like i'm off my head!

oh yes, at peepo, and guess how much I love you.

DD is currently obsessed with MOG books, and the only one they had at the library today was "goodbye mog". I had to hide it as I am sooo not ready to read that one to her.

Missmattie - Mr men and thomas are both 'Daddy books' in our house - his boredom threshold is much higher than mine!

I sob at all sorts 'this little baby (mirror bit at the end) Monkey Puzzle (coz DS1 always gives me a cuddle at the end ) Little Rabbit Lost (mama reunion bit again!)

Owl babies gets me all the time. My Mum died before DS was born and I struggle through the part when their mother always comes back.

And as for the Baby Mine scene in Dumbo ......................................

Why have I never even heard of owl babies? Which rock have I been living under? Oh god, I can't even watch Dumbo-I miss my mum too much, and then dd misses her too (she died in feb), and it ends up as a sobfest!

www.amazon.co.uk/Owl-Babies-Martin-Waddell/dp/0744531675/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227218922&s r=8-3

You need it in your life! (well maybe not)

www.amazon.co.uk/Owl-Babies-Martin-Waddell/dp/0744531675/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227218922&s r=8-3

You need it in your life! (well maybe not)

I sob constantly and I thing DS3 is dreading me reading to him now - yet still I gravitate towards the sad books. "The Selfish Giant" is one, and "No Matter What" is a killer - the gist of it is that no matter how awful the child is, the mother says she will love him no matter what, and then he asks "What about when you're dead?" and she goes on about love being like stars and their light never dying...

I have always broken down reading "The Night Before Christmas" but attempt it every year.

Hassled, I think I might give that one a miss

Bibi - "No Matter What" gets to me too, although I have to suppress both my sobs and my inner nerd that wants to blurt out "starlight will die eventually, acksherly".

I cried at playgroup the first time I read Guess How Much I love You. But you lot have ruined it for me by accusing Big Nutbrown Hare of irritating one-upmanship.

You're all bonkers

always get choked up at the end of this

OMG the Mog book I actually think I had blanked that because I was thinking I'd cried at Mog dying then thought hang on, Mog didn't die! So awful DD is never having that book! Atm her favourite book is Monkey and Me which is just about a trip to the zoo, phew!

Oh the selfish giant gets me too-read it to dd on london-leeds train with loads of commuters rolling their eyes at my sobs! We have plop-the one about the owl who is scared of the dark-is owl babies by the same guy? Even the blurb wrenched at me! xx

Oh the places you'll go never gets me for some reasom, I don't know why. Dd still loves it though. Have ordered owl babies, monkey puzzle and peepo as Paddington is getting a bit much every night-sob-a-thon here we come!

I am as tough as old boots but...

1. Owl Babies - it is both a criticism and vindication of working mothers, I feel.

1. We always have a multicultural, non-denominational nativity as behoves a very mixed school. Last year 6 year old DS was Joseph,with a hugely battered face, about 10 stitches and a black eye. He led Mary (Bossy Isabel who he has this mute admiration for)into the middle of the set and surrounded by any number of ethnicities dressed up as Swiss, Chinese, Native Americans, Spaniards and Hawaiians they sang some song about "There is just one world for all us us to share" and I just had tears pouring down my face. I would have waved a lighter in the air had I had one!.

Gah.

I'm welling up reading thread.