Bedtime stories

[noelmarie17]

how old is too old to read bedtime stories to your children?

[kags]

I don't think any age is too old if that's what the child wants. I found that my son no longer wanted a bedtime story once he could read himself, but my daughter continues to want a story every night. Reading to, or with a child is a lovely way to spend time with them, and you could maybe even move on to an atlas or children's encyclopaedia as they get older.

[FP]

I agree with Kags.  Read to your children as long as they want you to.  It's just so rewarding for parent and child and such a lovely opportunity to spend time with each other.  I had never read Winnie the Poo until I read to my child and I cried with laughter (much more than he did). 

 

Reading I found also led  on to all sorts of chats - When my son comes home from Uni we still have these nightime chats!!!  I don't read to him any more though!

[amarillis]

My Dad read us bedtime stories for years when we were younger. We progressed from kids stories to novels, and it was always a time to just talk as well. We have all now left home but always remember that as a special, peaceful time of the day.

 

Keep doing it, it will remain a special time that your child will always remember.

[smudge]

There is no time limit, it's up to each individual child.

 

We both used to love reading to our two daughters until their eyes closed & we'd kiss them good night. We didn't only just read to them, because they liked us to make up stories. Also for us to tell them all about when we were little. We now do this with our Grandchildren when they come to stay. Happy nights! 

[iwantthatone]

As long as you can still read, you're never too old to read to them...

[andy hughes]

Have to agree with everyone. This is one of those parent things - bathing, feeding, tying shoe laces, picking up, tucking in at night, that your child grows out of, and those times never come back, so make the most of them, for as long as you can. Speaking of which, I have just insisted on spooning some cough medicine into my fifteen year old daughter - much to her disgust! When I explained why, I got a big hug! Parenthood - it's the greatest!

[ezapf]

I agree with everyone as well and I wanted to share this:

Even before my daughter could read, she wanted to read to me at bedtime. She would page through a picture book and make up the story as she interpreted the pictures.

She is now 11 and she still loves to read to me at night. I will continue to listen as long as she continues to read.

[Hellion]

My son is six, he now reads me his school reading book to me as a bed time story, and many a time he has to wake me up too! ( I then read him a story) it's a great way to share the pleasure of reading. I don't like TV's in childrens bedrooms but he has a lot of audio books and as my Mum lives over a mile away and can't read to me any more I like to listen to an audiobook too, it's very, very relaxing!

[Bangkok]

I read bedtime stories to my wife when she is miserable - cheers her up, so can't be bad.