Bed-time Stories

[Cosmic Joe]

I can't remember ever getting them from my parents, but they were a strong bonding part with my two when they were young. 

I think they were important. Daft books like Winnie the Pooh and Thomas the Tank Engine. 

[carpetmonster]

Same and same. Kid #1 still very much enjoys them, even at 9. Shel Silverstein poems are good because they’re funny and short, so you can read loads if they’re still quite awake or cut it fairly abruptly if they’re flagging rather than reading a big chapter and risking them getting a second wind along the way. 

[BFTD]

I don't remember doing storytime when I was wee, but my mum would hang out with me for a while after I went to bed and tell me stuff about her day. She was a schoolteacher, so that was obviously interesting to someone who realised that one day they'd be going to school with the Big Boys themselves (at the age of 4). I'd ask the important questions of the day, such as whether or not fish fart, and eventually nod off. The BONG!s at the end of News at Ten would wake me up like an alarm clock, and I'd sneak back downstairs to watch whatever film the rest of the family was watching (I particularly liked the giant beastie films, like Jaws, Alligator, or The Giant Spider Invasion).

I did much the same with my son when he was little. Whispering to each other in the dark until he nodded off and I'd be able to get my arm/pillow back. It was interesting to hear the thoughts that were running through his head (and still are, even though he's doing his Highers now). Both of us did plenty of reading in our own time when we were small, so I don't think we missed out on anything. Tales of adult life sound as unreal as fairy tales when you're that age anyway.

[Cosmic Joe]

3 minutes ago, BTFD said:

I don't remember doing storytime when I was wee, but my mum would hang out with me for a while after I went to bed and tell me stuff about her day. She was a schoolteacher, so that was obviously interesting to someone who realised that one day they'd be going to school with the Big Boys themselves (at the age of 4). I'd ask the important questions of the day, such as whether or not fish fart, and eventually nod off. The BONG!s at the end of News at Ten would wake me up like an alarm clock, and I'd sneak back downstairs to watch whatever film the rest of the family was watching (I particularly liked the giant beastie films, like Jaws, Alligator, or The Giant Spider Invasion).

I did much the same with my son when he was little. Whispering to each other in the dark until he nodded off and I'd be able to get my arm/pillow back. It was interesting to hear the thoughts that were running through his head (and still are, even though he's doing his Highers now). Both of us did plenty of reading in our own time when we were small, so I don't think we missed out on anything. Tales of adult life sound as unreal as fairy tales when you're that age anyway.

That's lovely

[BFTD]

Just now, Cosmic Joe said:

That's lovely

Was attacked by a manly tear when reading that back, I must admit.

Just the one, mind.

[Granny Danger]

Can’t remember ever doing it with my boys but always read a story (or two or three) to my granddaughter when she stayed with us.  It was more satisfying when she started reading some of the words then eventually she was reading the stories to me.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

52 minutes ago, BTFD said:

Was attacked by a manly tear when reading that back, I must admit.

Just the one, mind.

My old dear used to do something similar.  Was always her putting me to bed as my dad worked late shifts. She would come up with stories but include folk we knew (neighbours and teachers). There was always a mad song as well.  When I was clearer out the hoose after my dad popped his clogs I came across a notebook which had some made up stories my mum had written down for the bairn but she never got a chance to read them to her.

[BFTD]

Just now, Melanius Mullarkay said:

My old dear used to do something similar.  Was always her putting me to bed as my dad worked late shifts. She would come up with stories but include folk we knew (neighbours and teachers). There was always a mad song as well.  When I was clearer out the hoose after my dad popped his clogs I came across a notebook which had some made up stories my mum had written down for the bairn but she never got a chance to read them to her.

Don't mind me, just late-season hay fever or something.

[The DA]

Yep, read to both of my kids - daughter now 29 and son now 25.

Katy Morage, Hair McLairy, The Faraway Tree, Harry Potter to my daughter - never found out how it ended cos she read the last book herself.

Hairy McLairy and Artemis Fowl to my son.

The best bit from both was 'tell us a story from your own mouth'!

[BFTD]

1 minute ago, The DA said:

Yep, read to both of my kids - daughter now 29 and son now 25.

Katy Morage, Hair McLairy, The Faraway Tree, Harry Potter to my daughter - never found out how it ended cos she read the last book herself.

Hairy McLairy and Artemis Fowl to my son.

The best bit from both was 'tell us a story from your own mouth'!

Next time you see her, get her telt to lay down on that fucking couch and prepare for story time!

Not getting to finish the series is horribly unfair!  

[Central Belt Caley]

My mum read the first Harry Potter book to me when I was maybe about 5 ish? Think I always had a story before then too. After I got a bit older I always used to read in bed before going to sleep. Been trying to get back into it but nonsense on YouTube seems to grab my attention instead
 

I’ve read my nephew his bed time story a few times when I’ve been round at my sisters late enough. Hairy Mclairy is a firm favourite of his. 

[Thistle_do_nicely]

2 hours ago, BTFD said:

I don't remember doing storytime when I was wee, but my mum would hang out with me for a while after I went to bed and tell me stuff about her day. She was a schoolteacher, so that was obviously interesting to someone who realised that one day they'd be going to school with the Big Boys themselves (at the age of 4). I'd ask the important questions of the day, such as whether or not fish fart, and eventually nod off. The BONG!s at the end of News at Ten would wake me up like an alarm clock, and I'd sneak back downstairs to watch whatever film the rest of the family was watching (I particularly liked the giant beastie films, like Jaws, Alligator, or The Giant Spider Invasion).

I vividly mind when our house first got Sky TV (think it was a whopping 99 channels, prior to Sky we used to only have about 6 or 7 so it was awe inspiring), would have been in primary school at the time, cant mind what age tbf

can mind there was a German language war movie on with subtitles, all the troops spoke German regardless of what uniforms they had on, and I asked my Dad - earnestly and very confused - why the Germans were fighting other Germans, I thought World War 2 was Britain vs. Germany? edit: iirc it was kiiiinda like the Limmy "steels heavier than feathers" bit with him trying to explain that it was the actors that were german, but they were playing characters and you could tell who was who from things like the uniforms, but I just couldn't understand it, was like "but if they're all speaking German then... they're all Germans fighting other Germans??"

He kinda laughed about it, still reminds me of it from time to time that he loved the childlike logic behind the thought process.

Regarding stories - mum reading me Three Billy Goats Gruff was maximum comfy, loved that story as a wean.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Thistle_do_nicely

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

All I got was as the light went out was 'sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite'

Fucking shitting myself all night about an infested mattress.

[mathematics]

Currently working my way through the Julia Donaldson back catalogue.

The Jon Klassen Hat Trilogy is exceptional.

Also picked up Struvvelpeter, a traditional German story book. It’s a bit, you know, racist.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

7 hours ago, Zen Archer (Raconteur) said:

All I got was as the light went out was 'sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite'

Fucking shitting myself all night about an infested mattress.

 

['WellDel]

Don't remember my parents reading to me, but my daughter absolutely would not settle until one of us had read her nightly book when she was young, she absolutely loved it.

At pre-school age, before she could read, there were a couple of her favourites that she memorised word for word and knew exactly where each page began and ended (I'm guessing going by where the pictures were as her guide), and loved to be the one doing the 'reading'. Always very animated and would mimic the silly voices for each character I used when I first read them to her.

Happy memories of their love and innocence, before they inevitably evolve into and through their moody teenage arsehole phase.

[Hedgecutter]

Still one of my favourite Simpsons clips:

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Hedgecutter

[hk blues]

My dad never read to any of us, my mum was at work.  Neither me nor the wife read to our son but there was a phase where my wife would tell him stories from her childhood.  Actually, he loves it when I do the same but I do it when we're out for our nightly walk.  He reads a book by himself now.  

[Sergeant Wilson]

I got f**k all. Reading to kids is birthday caird pish. I told mine about the existence of the window monster, the snakes and alligators under the bed and the cupboard ghosts. All of which were activated by noise and movement.

Worked a treat.

[Richey Edwards]

My parents never told or read us any stories, but my Papa did. He used to make up stories for us.