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Children's books

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Original poster

What are your rules re buying books for dc in between bdays and Xmas?

75 replies

MilaMae · 15/01/2009 20:52

I always get the dc loads of books on bdays and Xmas but dd and I have seen loads recently we both like the look of.

Her bday is in Dec so can't wait that long. Don't want to spoil the dc by constantly buying new books but then when money allows I think nothing of buying books for me.

OP posts:
Kbear · 15/01/2009 20:53

Books anytime. They are exempt from the Christmas and birthday rule but we practically live in the library so books are FREEEEEE!

ilovetochat · 15/01/2009 20:53

can't she borrow them from the library, or swap books with similar age kids. tbh i buy books whenever i see a good one but not loads at once just after xmas.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 15/01/2009 20:53

Toys I try very hard not to, books I buy a all the time.

JustKeepSwimming · 15/01/2009 20:54

we don't really have rules when it comes to their books (i made up some rules for myself a while back to cut costs).
I was thinking they had too many though i love buying them more books then DH said we should buy more and we will never have too many, yey!

So have ordered some cheap ones to start with. Plus he took ds1 (2.5) to choose some of his own the other day.

so i would say (if you can afford it obv) buy them!

janeite · 15/01/2009 20:55

We use the library a lot.

But they get a new book after a good report or parents' evening and whenever we think the library hasn't enticed them enough lately: probably every couple of months overall with many library visits in between purchases. And lots of books for Christmas and birthdays as you say.

LittleBella · 15/01/2009 20:55

I don't have any rules.

Generally don't buy them becasue we get them from the library. Get Red Books though, because cheap. And books I know they'll read over and over again.

ja9 · 15/01/2009 20:55

imo between b'day and xmas is best as they are not overwhelmed with new things. i tend to buy my los more stuff during the yr and not much at c'mas and bdays as they get so much from other people...

morocco · 15/01/2009 20:55

oh good grief no - there's no restriction on books in this household
rules are 'buy all the gorgeous books we can fit on the shelves' 'buy as many as pos from online websites to save a bit of cash' and 'never go to library' (I never get the books back on time and it got embarrassing after a while)

Original poster
MilaMae · 15/01/2009 20:55

We get loads from the library but the new/popular ones are often checked out or not available.

So one every now and then isn't spoiling?

OP posts:
mrsgboring · 15/01/2009 20:56

I buy books when I can afford it and think we need an injection of novelty. and I generally buy them new, unlike almost anything else. Hardly ever buy for myself any more, but used to.

Charity shops / ex library stock I buy whatever I feel I can carry

The only thing I have never been able to bring myself to do is buy a book that we've previously had out of the library, though I am planning to change this as there are many I wish we owned.

herbietea · 15/01/2009 20:56

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janeite · 15/01/2009 20:56

Books are never, ever, ever spoiling!

cornsilk · 15/01/2009 20:56

I buy books all the time.

cmotdibbler · 15/01/2009 20:57

Books def exempt ! Loads from charity shops and boot sales, and of course The Book People

Kbear · 15/01/2009 20:57

The library bus parks practically outside my house every other Tuesday - it's FAB. We have lots of librarys (London borough) but they shut a few and so the library bus visits too. I could live on it!

Kbear · 15/01/2009 20:58

librarys???? libraries, I can spell just can't type tonight.

fishie · 15/01/2009 20:58

one 3yo here. lots of library books and about six new books a year. but we keep the library ones for weeks or even months if they are good.

for myself i order from library too, am trying very hard not to buy any more. they keep going into heaps and drifts.

Original poster
MilaMae · 15/01/2009 20:59

Great

OP posts:
ohdearwhatamess · 15/01/2009 21:01

I buy books all the time for the dcs, as I do for myself. They don't count as spoiling them imo. Toys only bought for Christmas and birthdays or some exceptional reason.

We use the library too, often as a way of testing out books to see which will be favourites that are worth buying. Wouldn't dare get and pop-up or lift the flap books from the library though - they'd be destroyed.

TeenyTinyToria · 15/01/2009 21:03

No restriction on books here. I always pick them up when I see them cheap, and then keep them for birthdays or give them to ds straight away. He has a whole shelf full of books, and we use the library a lot.

pointydog · 15/01/2009 21:05

I don't have any rules. I feel I can either afford to buy a book or two that month or I can't.

Hulababy · 15/01/2009 21:06

I don;t have any rules. Both myself and 6y DD are dreadful when it comes to books - always choosing new ones.

I tend to hit the charity shops for DD's books.

I don't really see books as special treats as such - more as important things to have - for all of us here.

StepfordKnife · 15/01/2009 21:06

Buy books whenever the mood takes me. Only restrict the purchase of toys to birthday and Christmas

TeenyTinyToria · 15/01/2009 21:08

No restriction on books here. I always pick them up when I see them cheap, and then keep them for birthdays or give them to ds straight away. He has a whole shelf full of books, and we use the library a lot.

puppydetox · 15/01/2009 21:08

i'm fairly selective mostly because dds have 4 shelves of books between them and we don't have space for any more (they can't have our shelves cos a) they're also full and b) they can't reach them :P ). so as much as anything we tend to operate a nightclub door policy when it comes to books (toys, too): one-in-one-out. i don't tend to hang around bookshops much as i can't be trusted, but if i see something in passing in a charity shop i'll buy straight out, if it's more expensive i'm more likely to wait until her marble jar's full and see if she wants it for her prize.

we do the library too and she gets books from school, plus she just got a puffin club membership for xmas so she doesn't exactly go short.