50 Shades……..or a cuppa and a chunky KitKat?

Yes, Yes I know I’m sooooooooo behind everyone on this but just got the last book as one of my Christmas pressies.

To be honest I jumped on the bandwagon initially to see what all the fuss  was about. Now I couldn’t say that these were the best books I have ever read, but I will admit I did enjoy them as a trashy, no brainer, quick read!

However, by the time I got to the 3rd book I had to constantly remind myself that they still had only been together a few months and therefore they would have been ‘at it’ like rabbits.

But it did start to get on my nerves (jealous, me?…….NAH!) I found it was wasting my time a little to get to Mr Grey’s back story of his mother and adoption etc.

I did actually enjoy the last bit telling the story from his point of view and would have liked a little more of that as you would have been able to understand him a bit better.

Anyway, my point is, in the 3rd book I was really asking myself………….AGAIN……..REALLY??  2nd or 3rd time now in one day……………I THINK I WOULD BE SAYING ‘LOVELY AS THE OFFER IS ANY CHANCE OF A CUPPA AND A CHUNKY KITKAT INSTEAD!!!

So what I want to know is am I on my own with this and therefore my long suffering OH is just deprived……….or would you be in the cuppa and Kit Kat club?

 

Reading for kids -how important is it?

Reading for kids -how important is it?

reading for kids

 

I have a love of books and reading.

I don’t know where that came from as it’s hard to remember if as a child I was read to or not. However, as a teenager I definitely remember reading a lot( mainly Stephen King and the like!). Thankfully, that love of reading is still as strong today.

When both my boys were tiny it was part of the bedtime routine to have a story. When they started reading at school it was religiously done everyday.

All of that has paid off as now at the grand old ages of 11 and 13 years they are both avid readers in their own right. My youngest actually got a Kindle for his Christmas present.

However, I do know families where the kids are totally uninterested in reading and no matter what they have tried along the way, it hasn’t worked.

So does it matter whether you start early or not? Does it matter if the parents are avid readers?

Does it matter if you don’t have lots of books at home?

Top tips on how to get your children reading

Watch our video with Jeff Brazier where he gives his top tips on making story time fun

 

For some parents, a seemingly simple task like reading your children bedtime stories can send them into a nervous panic. But, it’s never too soon or too late to get your children reading and needn’t be a stressful experience. 

 

That’s why celebrity dad Jeff Brazier has joined forces with the National Literacy Trust today to launch a new campaign to try and help the four million children in Britain who don’t own a book to start reading.

 

Almost a fifth of children who don’t read say there are no books in their homes, which is why the National Literacy Trust is backing the campaign from  McDonald’s UK and Harper Collins for a new partnership to help get kids reading.

 

McDonald’s UK is to hand out around nine million popular children’s books with its Happy Meals, as part of a new partnership with publishing house Harper Collins. The promotion aims to get books into the hands of families and support mums and dads in reading with their children.

 

Watch our video with Jeff Brazier and Jack Sallabank from the National Literacy Trust where they give their top tips to get your children reading. From funny voices to involving your children with finger puppets, watch our video for Jeff’s great tips which is sure to be a success with any child.

So what strategies have you tried to get your children interested in books?

What age group where they when they started showing an interest?

Do you buy books or rely on your local library?