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Original poster

Kids living in houses without books?

153 replies

ButterfliesAreWeird · 13/12/2017 20:31

My son just received another of those books we get given by the government (funded by them atleast). My Mother said that they started this scheme because around 1 in 4 children were starting school without a single book in their household. Is this right? That sounds like a lot, but then again it would need to be for them to start handing out books I guess.

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 14/12/2017 20:09

Sleeping my ds is non verbal now 21 he learned to read early. At 5 he could pick out words like what he wanted for dinner e.g. sausages. He could match words to pictures e.g. dear zoo animals. Keep reading and assume he is recognising words.

BamburyFuriou3 · 14/12/2017 20:11

Oh goodness yes forgot all our reference books! One whole Billy bookcase full of sciences, geography, natural history, grammar, it, DIY, financial services, history

SnugglySnerd · 14/12/2017 20:12

We don't have much space in our house so we got rid of novels and decided not to buy any more as they are mostly read once then gather dust until being delivered to the charity shop.
However we go to the library every couple of weeks and we have a lot of children's books in their bedrooms and in a box downstairs and we read to them a lot. DD asks for stories several times a day. I also have a kindle. It probably does look like we don't have many books though.

I'm a teacher and can well believe that many kids don't read at home. Many have never seen an atlas/dictionary etc either until they use them at school.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 14/12/2017 20:21

"We don't have much space in our house so we got rid of novels and decided not to buy any more as they are mostly read once then gather dust until being delivered to the charity shop."

This is my experiance as well Snuggly. Even books where I think "Oh thats an excellent book, I'll definatly return to that" In reality I tend not to.

And dictionaries and reference books (unless specialised) almost seem old fashioned now you can find out anything on the internet.

I'm quite a big reader (or was before kids reduced my attention span to mumsnet sized) and even I'm starting to think that books in the house is not the way to go.

Kazzyhoward · 14/12/2017 20:21

Once you've read a book do you tend to go back to it and re-read at a later date? Or do they just accumulate as clutter?

We tend to borrow from our local library. Any that we buy, we either sell online or donate to charity. We never re-read a book and they're not kept to clutter.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 14/12/2017 20:23

Then, by definition, you are not a person with a lot of books Kazzyhoward and my question was not directed to you

Melfish · 14/12/2017 20:24

I have reduced my books down to ones that are not available on kindle or ones which are signed/first edition/sentimental as I have limited space for books. I am also lucky to live near a library and visit a couple of times a week to change books. DD has her own bookcase in her room.
I also cleared my parent's house of hundreds of books. Many of them were transport books and no one wanted them (family, friends or shops dealing in those sort of books) as they had no space or interest. I managed to get a local charity shop to take some of them but I had to bin some as it got too much (titles like learn to use a typewriter in the 1980s etc). You can't recycle them as paper due to the glue or some reason. I didn't want DD to have to deal with all that for me.
Commuting daily for the last 20 years has shown me that less people read books or magazines these days. It's the only chance I get for a decent hour's peaceful reading!

PerspicaciaTick · 14/12/2017 20:27

Read once? Read once books go to the charity shop. I feel sad for them being so crappy but hope someone else will enjoy them even if I can't.

Most of the books I keep are old friends, read and reread until they fall apart and I buy new copy.

When I start trying a new author, I do try to borrow the first few books in a series from the library before committing to buying them.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 14/12/2017 20:27

My DH only reads online articles. Thats the entirity of his reading for pleasure.
I wouldn't be surprised if lots of people are the same nowadays.

Ta1kinPeace · 14/12/2017 20:30

dictionaries and reference books (unless specialised) almost seem old fashioned now you can find out anything on the internet.
Indeed
most of my books are highly specialised and much of the information is NOT available on the internet

BroomstickOfLove · 14/12/2017 20:38

I give away books I think I won't read, but sometimes I get it wrong and end up buying the same book for a second time. Similarly, if I borrow the same book from the library repeatedly, I try to buy a copy to keep.

NewtsSuitcase · 14/12/2017 20:42

BamburyFuriou3 but why would you assume there are no books if they are not on display? both my DSs have double divan beds with four drawers double stacked with books plus groaning cupboards. Under my bed is crammed with books and there are loads in the cupboards too.

They're not out on display though.

RaindropsAndSparkles · 14/12/2017 20:52

We have a "quiet room" 16' x height of books, a 9 foot wall in the hall, a 5' bookcase in the family room, a full height 4' bookcase in the drawing room, the DC have 3 bookcases each and there are others on the landing.

When they were born book/house ratios were similar. The health visitor said "It's my job to Make sure you talk to your child enough for him to develop speech." I read the Illiad to him when she left. He took a first in classics this year. I have thought about sending a letter to the trust who employed her tbh.

SleepingStandingUp · 14/12/2017 20:55

unlimiteddilutingjuice - we keep specific authors so I collect Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Any books brought as presents. Non fiction books.

Anything bought from charity shops - fiction- is read and returned or passed on

Steeley113 · 14/12/2017 21:06

I think it’s strange people think because they can’t see books, they must not have any. I have cupboards filled with children’s books! You just can’t see them unless you open the doors. I have a kindle too so other then my precious Harry Potter books I’ve had since I was a child, I don’t really have any adult books. Must remember when the health visitor comes to make sure my books are on show!

SleepingStandingUp · 14/12/2017 21:08

cestlavielife thank you. I know that people who are non verbal learn to read i just assumed it would take longer because he can't say the words out loud. I never thought about him bring able to point out the words. We read bucket loads. I have to read every sign on the bus. He has books on request during the day and he always has books for bed. He loves kids magazines and will flick through them himself. He can pick out 1 - 10 no problem as I sight recognition - I didn't think about doing it with words x

cestlavielife · 14/12/2017 21:17

Sleeping also have him play with a keyboard. Picking out letters. Ask him What is the letter for "cat" etc. You can get "big keys "keyboard. Or an ipad app. Also look at comms apps on ipad. Ds uses gridplayer and mostly types his simple sentences (at his level). He gets stuck on some phonetic typing but does well considering.

LBOCS2 · 14/12/2017 21:32

@BamburyFuriou3, add in some Jasper Fforde and you've just described my bookcase 😁

But those are the ONLY ones I've kept. I have become ruthless in getting rid of unloved books I may even have overenthusiastically culled some do DH's unread books.

Bookstart does exist, my 20mo gets a sticker every time we go to the library and they gave her a pack containing the indomitable 'Baby's Day' which I can now recite from memory because she loved it so much (it's not that much of an achievement, I can do 'Each Peach Pear Plum' too).

Reallytired17 · 14/12/2017 21:33

It is just not a thing for many people.

I know a few people who are only really interested in the television.

Original poster
ButterfliesAreWeird · 14/12/2017 21:50

Not having a book in the house is not the same as someone not being able to see them. I don't get why you lot are confusing the two. Kindles weren't invented in the 90s and we are talking about children. 4/5 year olds not owning a single book.

OP posts:
ijustwannadance · 14/12/2017 21:58

The downstairs of my house has no books on display because it looks messy and gets dusty. Same with DVDs/CDs. They are shut away.
When we moved house we got rid of about 70% of our books as it's easy to download onto kindle or tablet now and takes up no physical space.

DD has a fulll bookshelf in her room.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 14/12/2017 22:01

I find it so sad. I grew up in a house where most walls were lined with books.

I keep dictionaries, reference books and non fiction.
I tend to have a few dictionaries and other reference books on the go when I work for cross-referencing.

Fiction is kept too, some I revisit, others are just there, in case I want to.

Flinkyflonk · 14/12/2017 22:04

I posted on MN a while back about my son's behaviour at bedtime (he was 4 at the time, and was faffing around procrastinating every night) and was told our routine was far too elaborate and took too long...

It was 2 stories (suitable for a 4yr old, so less than 5mins each) then lights out! Confused

Whippet · 14/12/2017 22:16

DS2 wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until secondary school and we had previously struggled to get him to read much (doh! now I understand why Hmm) but he loved stories being read to him and also loved and remembered the detail of films much more than his older brother or me/DH. His breakthrough came about age 11/12 when he wanted to read Lord of the Rings. We bought him the audio CDs and he sat at listened/ 'read along' at the same time. He's still not what I'd call an avid reader, but he has a love of 'beautiful books' and now collects lots of first edition Tolkiens etc Smile

Kokeshi123 · 14/12/2017 23:27

"we will not tell mummy as she does not like you having books"

OMG. Makes me wonder if Matilda (Roald Dahl) really does exist somewhere....

:(