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Parenting

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Original poster

How many books at bedtime for 2yr old?

74 replies

Luckytattie · 15/10/2021 20:35

At the moment we are doing about 7 or 8 and I feel it's kind of ridiculous but at the same time he is desperate for books and I feel saying no is not great since reading is so good for them.

Would be good to know what others do.

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careerchangeperhaps · 15/10/2021 20:38

About 2-3, depending on length. Something like 'The Gruffalo' or 'The Hungry Caterpillar' - probably two. But we read in the daytime too.

cravingmilkshake · 15/10/2021 20:38

Oh wow.... I would just say no.... we read one (or a chapter of babar or something ) occasionally 2 if they are really short, but one of its zog / gruffalo or something .

You're the adult , not them- you are in charge.

Elisemum · 15/10/2021 20:40

It varies with my 2,5 year old, some days it’s 1,
Some days it’s 1 but read 3 times over and over again:) and some days it’s 3 or 4.
7 or 8 must be tiring for you but honestly it’s brilliant that your toddler loves books so much! At this age they are tools young but soon you’ll be able to say something like”you can pick 2 or 3 books you’d like to read every evening” and they should understand

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Scarby9 · 15/10/2021 20:42

I remember saying to one godchild, 'We're a bit late going to bed, so there is only time for one book, so choose just one for us to read'.
Godson - 'I choose the Bible. All of it'.
I would also say two or three books at bed time. Any more can be piled up ready for them to look through in the morning, or to be read at a different quiet time the next day.

MamaSJ15 · 15/10/2021 20:42

We usually do 1-2 stories depending on length and if she has gotten ready for bed without fussing around too much!

whatswithtodaytoday · 15/10/2021 20:42

Two, one he picks and one me. That way if he picks a long one I can find something short 😁 I just say no more after that, we read during the day too and he needs to sleep.

Elisemum · 15/10/2021 20:43

@cravingmilkshake I find it very hard to refuse a 2 year old books… I mean you can refuse toys, sweets etc but if a child wants to read books isn’t it brilliant? it’s a lovely thing to read books to your child, yes 7 or 8 is a lot but still a lovely thing

Koalaslippers · 15/10/2021 20:43

Always been 1 at bedtime but books available all day and will read 10 in a row then sometimes.

SylvanasWindrunner · 15/10/2021 20:43

Two max! But unlimited during the day.

Sandsnake · 15/10/2021 20:43

I just do one 🤷‍♀️. Unambiguous and gets me downstairs quicker. But yes, they get lots of books in the day too.

Jsgdud · 15/10/2021 20:43

We don't have a set number with 2 year old but just however many we read from after bath to until it gets to just before 7pm, bedtime. Usually that's anywhere between 1 (longer one) or 5 short ones.

CrabbyCat · 15/10/2021 20:43

We do 2 at bedtime, but sometimes get up to 7 or 8 earlier in the day (or at least rereading 2 or 3 books that many times total). How much daytime reading do you do?

ISaidDontLickTheBin · 15/10/2021 20:44

1-2 I'd say is fine for bedtime but at that age we did more at various points in the daytime. Bedtime would generally be for old favourites - new books would be introduced at other times of day

cravingmilkshake · 15/10/2021 20:46

@Elisemum I totally understand that, but if you are reading throughout the day, anything over 4 at bedtime has to be too much?

Maybe it's just me, but we always do two maximum 🤷🏻‍♀️...

DelurkingAJ · 15/10/2021 20:47

We always did three. Two with milk then brush teeth and good behaviour whilst brushing earns the third. I withheld the third story about three times between DS1 and DS2 over the course of five or so years each. We then moved to milk, then teeth then some of a longer book.

bloodywhitecat · 15/10/2021 20:48

Just the one but read throughout the day as requested.

Fallagain · 15/10/2021 20:49

We only do one but that’s because we are trying to balance bedtime with an older child and we are also able to fit in lots of books during the day. As you are happy to read that many in future and bedtime is not to late then it’s fine.

Original poster

Luckytattie · 15/10/2021 20:50

He is a determined little thing so it is very difficult to actually stop the books. He picks then up and shouts "books" and sits on me and he's desperate for them.

At the weekends we'd do a couple of books through the day and then through the week he is at nursery and they do reading with him there too but I'm not sure how much.

Our bedtime is bad though. He only wants me to put him down. We couldn't do CIO or CC and we've got ourselves into a state of me having to hold him until he's almost asleep and I can put him in the cot or have to wait until he is fully asleep. If I put him in awake he is trying to climb out and crying etc. I'm a soft touch and feel bad for him so I just cuddle/hold him to sleep.

But I'm 33 weeks pregnant and it's getting too much now. I really don't know what to do!

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Original poster

Luckytattie · 15/10/2021 20:51

I choose the Bible. All of it'
That made me laugh @Scarby9 :)

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Vindo · 15/10/2021 20:54

Only one at bedtime, but it's generally a longer story. I don't mind doing 7-8 during the day though especially if they are short books.

Santastuckincustoms · 15/10/2021 20:55

We do 2, sometimes he asks for a repeat of one. But he also wakes at 5am so we always have an hour of book reading on the sofa before I need to start the frantic school/nursery/housework hour

Amammai · 15/10/2021 20:55

My son always has 3or 4 and at that age he probably had more as they are often shorter. Holding/cuddling to sleep isn’t a bad thing- he won’t need it forever. It’s only a problem if it’s a problem for you/your child. I would really care what anyone else does.

Heruka · 15/10/2021 20:57

We always do 2 at bedtime. During day as many as we both fancy. I think bedtime being really predictable is beneficial and you can still support book joy on that many!

MalteseBubs · 15/10/2021 20:57

Maybe he needs a longer bath time first or something

Original poster

Luckytattie · 15/10/2021 20:58

Aw that sounds like a nice morning routine @Santastuckincustoms

@Amammai I don't mind it per se, some night I am just tired and his bedtime does seem to take a while. I ran the bath at 6.30 and he didn't go to sleep until 8.30 just there which is probably why I'm posting as I'm quite tired tonight. But he was in my arms and gave me the sweetest smile as he was closing his eyes so I don't mind it on that sense.
I'm worried about how we will manage this with a newborn in the mix though!

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