Do you enjoy reading to your children?

[MistressMary]

Or do you pretend to enjoy it?
I like reading some stuff to bubs, but the repetitive stuff gets on my nerves a bit. And it dreis my throat out and I sound like a dalek with laryngytis by the end of the book!

[Tortington]

i used to like reading poems. either childrens poems or funny poems. i still look out for not so babyish ones in charity shops but not often get lucky.
thing is then you can read a few quickly
i used to prefer singing to my kids i used to put them to bed and sing otis reading and elkie brooks and aerosmith - just one of each.

[Blu]

LOL at Custy singing Aerosmith as a lullaby.

[Tortington]

lol blu - to clarify they werw about 6 until - well i do it very occasionally still.

[WideWebWitch]

lol at coma! Ikwym about cried and whispered, I try to read ahead a bit so I can do that correctly. It's a pita.

[binkie]

Oh yes the instant yawning thing!

But it doesn't happen with Laura Ingalls Wilder, which is what we're currently going through, and didn't with other things with enough Performance Quotient, like the Gruffalo and poems (eg Night Mail, fantastic). Have even been known to give them some Chaucer with proper middle English vowels or a spooky ballad or two (and so delighted to hear ds a few days later murmuring to himself "Half-ower half-ower to Aberdour, 'Tis fifty fathom deep ..." - anyone know what I'm on about?)

[paolosgirl]

I love it - DS loves Horrid Henry (he is HH, and DD is Perfect Peter, LOL) and I do have a bit of a chuckle at the stories!

[binkie]

Just had a bit of a revelation thinking about this, which is that reading to ds & dd is a heaven-sent audience for me. They hang on whatever story it is, they don't mind me singing, or doing poems; on the way to school today dd asked me to read out the current Poem on the Tube (which is the Helen of Troy bit from Marlowe's Faustus) - and they're really enjoying it, not pretending!

I will miss this later on when they start to cringe, won't I.

[Surfermum]

I love it, dd snuggled up on my lap, thumb in mouth listening intently to the story. Dogger and The Tiger Who Came to Tea are the current favourites, but why one earth does Sophie's mummy take her to the cafe in her nightie?

[suzywong]

because she's already got undressed for the bath and she just can't be a^sed to dress her again and risk "but I dont WANT those tights on again, Mummy, they're horrid. WHAAAAAH"

the woman's just had a tiger messing around in her pantry, she needs sausage and chips pronto.

[happymerryberries]

Dd is now reading alone for pleasure( which I love to see! ). She also enjoys reading to me, so we often cuddle up and read a page each! Just like me she is a born show off and loves the sound of her own voice!

ds loves Thomas.

One of the things I like best about being on holiday is reading together as a family. Dh and I have been know to argue over who does the next page.

[Carlk]

"I enjoy it if the book is good but have dome many hours of reading aloud whilst mentally shopping or shagging the gardener IYKWIM.
I have found, though, that the minute I start reading to my dds, I start yawning. I honestly don't know why - am I relaxed or bored? "

sobernow, perhaps a diferent gardener might help

[gingerbear]

Custy, I used to sing 'Pearl's a Singer' to DD before bed. DH has been known to lull her to a gentle slumber with The Pogues or a gentle Clash melody.

[Surfermum]

Actually, when you put it like that SuzyWong I can see where Sophie's mummy is coming from. DD nearly went to the beach in her PJs on Sunday because I just couldn't face another chasing her round the bed to put knickers on battle. And I hadn't had a tiger to contend with.

[jabberwocky]

I'm one of those disgusting people who loves it even if I'm reading Thomas the Tank Engine does whatever for the fourth time in a row! I do all the voices and get to act as silly as I want. I also think of it as a game to try to keep the story making sense as ds tends to turn pages a bit fast and I wind up skipping at least half of it

[Skribble]

I used to do all the voices and stuff but always tried to get away with not reading at bedtime as I just want to get tidied up and sit down. I must have done enough as they are both good readers and enjoy reading themselves in bed. Its not a sign of a bad mother I put my efforts into other things with them and they are both amazing artists, actors and comedians .

[Lizita]

Yeah I enjoy reading as long as dd (nearly 2) doesn't want the same book over & over. I've trained her pretty well to keep getting a different book one by one now. But i have to pick a good long time slot to read otherwise i have a fight on my hands if i need to stop reading to do something else and that bugs me...

V surprised by all this hatred of Harry Potter, i love them! Get past the first 2 books (1st one i thought, nothing special, 2nd is the most dull of them all, but into the 3rd book i was hooked. can't wait for dd to be old enough for them...

[jabberwocky]

I hadn't noticed there was a dislike of Harry Potter. I love them! In fact I have a set of the American and UK versions

[pabla]

Love it, as long as it's not the Mr Men/Little Misses (I didn't buy them). Also, does anyone else think "We're going on a bear hunt" is a bit strange? DD is currently into the Series of Unfortunate Events which we are both enjoying.

[anniebear]

I love books, think its important for childen to have lots and have them read to them. But must admit, I like reading the shorter ones best!!!

And even better when they are young and you can skip a page or two!!!!!!!!!! lol

[gigglinggoblin]

is american harry potter different? am getting soooo excited about new one coming out!!!!

[vicdubya]

Pabla, I love going on a bear hunt!

DS is to young for it but he loves it all the same!

But the old non-PC version used to mention a gun IIRC

Funny how things change.

[Hulababy]

I love reading to DD (3y 3m). I have read to her since being very tiny. She adores books and we literally have hundreds of her books about the place.

Her favourite two at the moment for bedtime ar My Naughty Little Sister and Naughty Amelia Jane. Notice the similar theme

[Yorkiegirl]

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