DS reading in bed making himself ill.

[Fo0ffyShmo0ffer]

I really don't want to remove his books. I love the fact that he loves to read.
BUT
He wakes between 6.00 and 6.30 am everyday without fail. We had to tell him not to read in bed. He says ok then sneaks books. We go up rumble his plan, get cross take the book and go downstairs. The following morning he wakes up completely knackered, looks like he haunts houses for a living and I find a stash of books hidden in pillowcases, u see the bed, wrapped in towels. I want him to do the right thing. We've explained the effect it's having on him we want him to make the right decision himself.
Removing all his books just doesn't sit right with me. I'm an avid reader and I'm thrilled he loves books but not to the detriment of his health.
He is almost 10 and I just wondered if anyone had any ideas or would the consensus be remove the books?

Agreed, I think reading at table/reading while walking/reading late at night/reading when meant to be setting the table etc etc was about the only thing I ever got told off for

Bizarre fact - my brother could play the piano and read simultaneously. He would stick a book up in front of his music when meant to be doing his practice... beats patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time!

I knew people would say that bran but having raised 3 teenagers and have 2 more to get through I think it is important for a child to have boundaries and do as their parents ask them to iyswim. His parents are asking him to go to sleep and he is being very sneaky in defying them despite them making lots of compromises.
Just because its reading he is doing doesnt make it ok.If it were his play station or laptop would that be ok cos i suspect not. The fact is it is affecting his health and eventually will impact upon his education so a line needs to be drawn.
I love a read in bed but have to be up with the baby so have to put the book down at a reasonable time,that is self disipline,i must have learned it growing up.

ledkr- I could not disagree with you more and have also raised teenagers. Reading should be actively encouraged/enabled. Having had the experience of a bookworm son much like the OP's who suddenly at age 15 stopped reading, and has barely read a book since, I would not do anything to dissuade them while they enjoy it. He has a whole personality and personal philosophy to be formed, including by exposure to literature and the last thing I'd want to do is disrupt that.

We have this at our house too and been going on years - don't take the books away! If he's had fair warning, isn't it easier to make sure there isn't light? Everything that can possibly emit the smallest amount of light is out of DS' bedroom, except the main light which I can clearly see if it goes on.

It has always been more of a struggle getting DS up in the am because he is knackered, than looking sickly (although also worried about eyes). Could you tackle lights and let him have longer in bed in the morning Fo0ffy?

Ledkr - up to now he is a good lad. I have had little to complain about regarding his behaviour. However, the continual book hiding is sneaky and defiant. Especially when we have sat him down and offered a compromise that he readily took. I'm torn between thinking" is this such a terrible thing?" Or "this has gone on long enough. "

Banditqueen - he could willingly have longer in bed. I wish he would. He doesn't feasibly have to be up until about 7.30am. His own body clock, since he was a baby, wakes him between 6.00 and 6.30am and it doesn't appear to be changing any time soon.

Goodness! my Ds (13) is almost exactly the same! he even reads in the dark!! he has the dark eyes and is constantly tired out and the worst of it is that he can't sleep at night even when he wants to. Then he can't get up for school in the mornings! I'm at my wits end over it. I can't remove all his books as he has got hundreds of them.
I used to read by torch light as a child, but we were always sent to bed really early, so it wasn't such a problem.
Going to read through this thread tomorrow and glean some (any) ideas...

duchesse You didnt really answer my points though.Would you be as happy to let your child play on a games console or watch tv? Of course reading is to be encouraged but so has reasonable disclipline especially if it is affecting a persons health and wellbeing. A good nights sleep is equally important as reading surely.
Op i would just keep communicating with him about how important gettinghis rest is,my dd is just 10 and has problems sleeping for other reasons,she always recognises how much easier she finds it to get up if she has managed to get off to sleep at a reasonable time.
As with everything in life,there has to be other things as well.

He could maybe earn a new book each month by gradually decreasing the time he puts his book down??
He is moving into adolescence and the testosterone will soon play havoc with his sleeping patterns as well so he will need to have some control or he will be reading all night.
So many studies have shown and improvment in their performance at school being affected by sleep or lack of it.

Our 7 year old ds is the same. It was getting to a point where teacher noticed he looked pale and tired and i felt like a terrible mother for not being able to stop my child reading! We were really strict for a few weeks - bed about 7.30pm and read until 8.30pm. We give him a warning that it is nearly lights out time and let him finish the chapter he is on. We had to remove books from his room for a while but now he has got used to the way we do it and he doesn't try it on any more! Good luck!