I saw this article in the Daily Mail.
Now I am not going to enter into the debate about child discpline but I would like everyone to note the final two paragraphs of the article.
Child literacy expert Sue Palmer blamed parents relying on ‘electronic babysitters’, and claimed in her book Toxic Childhood that many children starting school had led a ‘very solitary, sedentary, screen-based existence’.
She added: ‘Many children now watch bedtime TV rather than sharing a bedtime story, songs and chat with parents. This is a serious erosion of important family time.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2106948/The-angry-generation-Lack-parental-discipline-blamed-aggressive-anti-social-children.html#ixzz1nfG7CNtm
I do think that bedtime is important. It is a time for interaction between parents and child. It is not a time for tv or dvds. There is nothing you can do if the child sneeks on to the computer or tv after you have tucked them up for the night, except look in on them before going to bed yourself. I used to read under the covers with a torch so I know how kids can get around night time rules. Our kids used to play on the computer before going to bed so I am not a paragon of night time routine either. But I did read them bedtime stories. It was a wonderful bonding time where you could talk about the day and about the story. I also found it very restful for me.
In reading bedtime stories you are keeping alive an age old tradition that has wonderful benefits.
I say this not as a shameless plug in the hope you will buy our stories (but won't mind if you do) but in the hope that you will be inspired to pick up a book and give it a go.
The Storyteller
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