I read to mine very night and they love it. It's comforting for them to cuddle up and be read to, and a great way of bonding.
It also teaches them a love of books, reading and the written word.
If people don't do it, it's not to do with class. I feel it may, sadly, be because they can't be arsed.
Agreed. My lifelong love of books started with my parents reading to me and I have voraciously read almost any book I can get my hands on ever since.
Reading to children is absolutely crucial (imho) to their upbringing, not just because of the sheer pleasure of hearing or reading a good story, but also because it educates kids, about life, about spelling and grammar, about social attitudes and just about everything else. Class quite simply should not come into it.
Yes, that's all very true. It's the word 'smug' that's the biggest problem here. It seems you can't mention anything to do with the middle-class without getting a few 'smugs' in. As if it's somehow absurd and wrong that people should care about current affairs, educate themselves and their children, learn to cook a decent meal, have a solid circle of friends with similar interests, have a career and work hard to provide your family with a comfortable life, and all the other hundreds of perfectly reasonable middle-class aspirations that some people just love to sneer at.
Oh I agree, and it is very much a class thing, tied up with anti intellectualism where reading is concerned.
....or just plain good parenting irrespective of background ?
I dont think it has anything to do with class..my parents read to me and I read to my children at bedtime..we are just a normal family..but when they are young,bath time,reading and bedtime..most of my friends do the same.
We normally read a book to our little boy at bedtime, not our daughter tho as she is only 6 months. I wouldn't call ourselves middle class exactly, somewhere inbetween working class and middle class I guess.
I think this thread is stupid though, everyone should read to their kids, it's important.
I was read to when I was little. I assumed it was perfectly normal. Of all the things you can try and make a class war out of, this isn't one I'd have ever imagined. I'd expect people from all classes approach reading bedtime stories the same way - some do it, some don't.
The fact that anyone could even consider it being to do with "smug middle class" suggests a disturbingly bad case of reverse snobbery. I'm as working class as they come but too many of my fellow WC people desperately need to get over themselves and lose the victim complex.
I don't see at all what it has to do with class. I came from a middle class family but can't ever remember my parents reading to me before bed or ever really.
When my son was younger we never read a story for bed but i always read to him when because everyone told me that is how they become clever!
I wouldnt say its middle class just seems to be a bit pretetious, i doubt people with naughty kids or multiple kids have enough time to fit a bedtime story
No i read to my kid i just meant people who pretend to be middle class by reading to the kids at bed because they think its what they should do despite most middle class people not bothering
Recently we have rediscovered the reading at bedtime and we are loving it. The boys are 5 and 6 and we are reading Harry Potter. Our eldest now asks if he can read the odd page at bedtime which makes me smile and I have found I enjoy reading again too now there's a purpose.
I'm far from being middle class but I read to both my kids when they were younger and they've grown up loving books and reading, and now they're getting older they both still read on a daily basis. I don't understand how or why it's smug to read a story to your child.
Comments
Agreed. My lifelong love of books started with my parents reading to me and I have voraciously read almost any book I can get my hands on ever since.
Reading to children is absolutely crucial (imho) to their upbringing, not just because of the sheer pleasure of hearing or reading a good story, but also because it educates kids, about life, about spelling and grammar, about social attitudes and just about everything else. Class quite simply should not come into it.
Why?
The latter. The end.
Even if you were like 3
Oh I agree, and it is very much a class thing, tied up with anti intellectualism where reading is concerned.
I dont think it has anything to do with class..my parents read to me and I read to my children at bedtime..we are just a normal family..but when they are young,bath time,reading and bedtime..most of my friends do the same.
Nowt wrong with that. Sometimes when mine have nodded off I carry on reading
don't talk bollocks.. every parent should read to their child.. even at bedtime..
I think this thread is stupid though, everyone should read to their kids, it's important.
The fact that anyone could even consider it being to do with "smug middle class" suggests a disturbingly bad case of reverse snobbery. I'm as working class as they come but too many of my fellow WC people desperately need to get over themselves and lose the victim complex.
Despite that I still love to read.
I wouldnt say its middle class just seems to be a bit pretetious, i doubt people with naughty kids or multiple kids have enough time to fit a bedtime story
No i read to my kid i just meant people who pretend to be middle class by reading to the kids at bed because they think its what they should do despite most middle class people not bothering
I'd have thought either of those would be ideal for getting the sprogs asleep sharpish so you can enjoy the rest of the evening
I've always hated reading, and trying to read to the kids was such a chore. :sleep:
the only books they ever showed an interest in were factual books and Captain underpants.