I've just had to write an email to Bookstart

[nickelbabe]

Oh, it was so painful!
As a bookseller, I love to get free books, so I was just checking out what I'd the baby would get in its first Bookstart pack, and when we would get it.

On the page that tells you, it says "The Bookstart baby pack is usually gifted by your health visitor"

fucking GIFTED ?!
it's not gifted! that's not even a real word!!!!

It's given or presented!

I've asked them to amend their website.

Let us know what they say.

I thought Bookstart was going? So it may well be irrelevant.

I wouldn't be too bothered about the word gifted, at least not in the context of the patronising guff they spout at you when you are given the pack. If you are as lucky as me you'll be told the following pearls of wisdom:

It is important to read to your baby.

You can join the library and get books for free!

Books help develop imagination.

The fact you have an English degree, already read to the baby and you're already members of the library will be ignored in favour of speaking to you s.l.o.w.l.y. Heaven forbid you should mutter "it's not books that encourage imagination, it's reading books that encourages imagination". That will earn you a Look.

I did find the website a bit patronizing
However, I am also aware that there are loads of people out there who wouldn't even think about reading to their baby. (of course, they're the ones that would probably throw out the free books in the rubbish)

"it's not books that encourage imagination, it's reading books that encourages imagination".

shit, does that mean have to read to this child?
can't DH do it?

I thought just throwing them at the DCs was enough. Don't they learn through osmosis?

Btw, 'gifted' is in the same category as 'a big ask' in my book.

and again.

And using the word 'pressurised' in the wrong context.

Ooh, you've got me started now...

books are for drawing on and then ripping up and pritt-sticking to your headboard surely? have i been doing it wrong all this time?

I know I wouldn't have thought to read a book. Thank goodness they tell you that like you're a moron. Actually now I think about it the health visitor may well have said "it's important for mum to read to baby". Just typing that set my teeth on edge.

Once DS was mobile he wouldn't read a book. Books were for wrestling

I used to be a Bookstart coordinator and was on the research panel when it very first started (nothing to do with writing their website though!) and explained this to HV when she gave me the pack. She still felt it necessary to explain slowly the benefits of reading to a baby to me. I almost offered her a read of my thesis which was all about yup, the benefits of reading with babies.

HelloShitty

Reality - did I ask you that when you still had more than a week to go ?? did I? hmm? hmmmmmm? no, i did not.
(no, i haven't had the baby, i'm still enjoying the surrealism of a baby growing inside me )

in the treasure chest pack (why do we need to use gimicks at that age?! ) , you get a pack of colouring pencils.....

Shitty
Thankfully, I haven't come across any of that yet.... I'm waiting though.
especially as I spend most of my day, every day, telling grandparents, aunties, uncles, mums, dads, friends, and the children themselves how important it is to read to/with the child.

okay, can I tell DH and the Mw first?

anyone would think you were getting broody!

anyway, I'll have a live birth thread running (I've wanted one of those for aaaages)