7 silly bedtime story mistakes that parents make

October 8, 2018

 

We’ve all been there, done that and got the t shirt when it comes to making silly bedtime story mistakes. Some more than others *coughs, Beta parent, but it’s very easily done right? Hell has no fury like an over tired tot, and sometimes out of sheer fright we get backed into a corner and stuff like this happens.

 

bedtime stories

 

 

7 silly bedtime story mistakes that parents make 

 

 

Number one

After a million pleases, giving in to the littles and agreeing to read ‘the scary’ story at lights out. On a Sunday night. When it’s actually already officially past bedtime. In my case, I stupidly agreed to read Roald Dahl’s The Witches. It all started out fine, until I turned a page and Little Button got an eye full of the grand high witch. Big mistake! That’s all I can say. Big mistake!

 

 

via GIPHY

 

 

Number two 

Speed reading, like lightning, in an attempt to get through bedtime as quickly as possible so you can get downstairs to catch the rest of Casualty! Nope. This does not work. In fact. It does the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. The littles will call your bluff, call the Alpha parent for fear of something ‘being wrong’ with you, and you will have to start all over again. Slowly. Extra slowly. Bye bye Casualty.

 

 

via GIPHY

 

 

Number Three 

Reading like a monotone sulk-face. Because reading the same book at bedtime, every bedtime, for a few weeks can get very, very painful. You now know the story inside out and actually don’t even need the book anymore as you have completely memorised it. Including the front and back covers, just to give you something extra to do. Monotone reading is by far the worst crime to commit when it comes to bedtime story reading. Just don’t. Apart from annoying the hell out of well, everyone, it doesn’t set a good example at all. #DontBeTheFunSucker

 

 

via GIPHY

 

 

Number Four

And on the flip side. Being over animated, just for the sake of it, can be just as bad. There’s a difference between doing the voices and OVER doing the voices. Again, in desperation that story time ends, your over hyped up voice is likely to do one of 3 things. 1. Send the little ones into a frenzy so they can’t sleep. 2. Grind on everyone within earshot. 3. Have the little ones yelling for Alpha parent because they think you have clearly ‘gone mad’ now.

 

 

via GIPHY

 

 

Number Five 

Second only to monotone sulk-face reading, is in fact, the foolish parent that skips pages. On purpose. Because the little ones will always notice. Always. And sometimes they will go along with you. Just to see how far you will go. Don’t’ be fooled into skipping more pages, because you will pay for it at the end of the story. Little one to Alpha parent ‘I think some of the pages must have fallen out of the book because the story that daddy/or mummy just read didn’t make sense. Can you check it?’ I would suggest that you run for cover… about now. Or at least pretend you are busy doing something useful.  

 

 

via GIPHY

 

Number Six  

Why is it that when you are running behind with everything, and, it’s way past bedtime, the little ones will pipe up and offer to read YOU a bedtime story instead. It’s the moment you have been waiting for all week and yet, why now, for gawd sake. On the inside you scream into your inside pillow nooooo, whilst composing a calm look of ‘well done you, yes of course I would love you to read me a bedtime story today’ across your beaming face. Don’t even think about frowning, asking them to do it another day or trying to hurry them through the pages. Because they may never offer, so willingly, again if you put them off reading this time round. #GoodLuck

 

 

via GIPHY

 

 

Number Seven

And finally, never abruptly stop reading when your little one finally closes their eyes, especially if you are doing any of the above. Closed eyes do not always equal a sleeping tot. For some gawd-knows why reason, the sudden departure of your voice can ruffle the ‘drifting off’ one into a fully awake state within seconds. Once you spot the victory ‘closed eyes’, start turning your voice down, slowly. Never stop reading. Just let your voice disappear off into the distance and hopefully they won’t notice you have stopped reading as they finally let go and drift off to sleep.   

 

 

via GIPHY

 

 

Happy bedtime story reading.

 

 

This post is part of #Blogtober18.

#Blogtober18

Lucy At Home UK parenting blogger

 

 

39 responses to “7 silly bedtime story mistakes that parents make”

  1. Haha, I remember that one especially, the eyes closed, stopping reading and trying to sneak out ….”Daddy … #DreamTeam

  2. Crummy Mummy says:

    Yes to all of these! That gif with number 2 is super scary too! #DreamTeam

  3. Sabina Green says:

    This is so funny! I am guilty of ALL of the above. That made me laugh about the Grand High Witch, enough to freak any kids out!

  4. Kim Carberry says:

    hehehe! This did make me chuckle.
    I used to try and skip pages but my girls knew!

  5. Yep I think I have done all these apart from the witches as my boys love the book and don’t get scared of it. So looks like I must be doing well lol X #dreamteam

  6. Jo says:

    Ha, ha. I think I’ve been guilty of all of these at one time or another. In our house though Daddy does the reading at bedtime now! #dreamteam

  7. Ha ha! I’m the ultimate page skipper and whole plot pints get missed when I can get away with it, sadly this is rarely.

  8. Sophie says:

    I read stories to my class everyday so lots of those are so true to my day too! Haha. #dreamteam

  9. Sonia Cave says:

    My husband gets pinged for falling asleep mid story and popping out with random words while still trying to read with his eyes shut!! They know the stories so well they correct him and wake him up!!

  10. Laurie says:

    My grandsons keep asking for “just one more story” whenever they sleep over. I usually read until I am hoarse! 🙂

  11. Anosa says:

    Not had the pleasure yet but I remember growing up we played so hard and so long during the day, most nights were a knockout

  12. This blog post made me laugh way too much, I have experienced them all lol #Blogtober18

  13. That witch is still terrrifying many decades after I first saw it! I’m certainly guilty of these as well as trying to paraphrase (mostly when we’re reading Mr Men books). We’ve read them so often I can’t get away with it anymore! #dreamteam

  14. Haha, this is spot on! I actually still hold a grudge against my dad for every time he skipped out pages and I could instantly tell. So true about stopping reading when they close their eyes… no chance!

  15. Kate says:

    One of those posts that comes from real experience. Recognise so many aspects. Nothing as nice though when it works well snuggles, giggles and a chance to act outrageously with silly voices – perfect – roll on the grandchildren! #DreamTeam

  16. Wendy says:

    Love love love this, I’m a serious offender of these..especially speed reading and monotone reading! I used to skip pages occasionally but I can’t get away with that anymore xx

  17. Stephanie says:

    Oh I used to try the one of skipping a page to get through it quicker…..it didn’t work!!

  18. Rachel says:

    haha i nodded along to all of these! skipping pages never worked for me either.

  19. Claire Rocks says:

    Lol yes to all of these! #DreamTeam.

  20. Heidi Brown says:

    Haha, especially to number seven! I admit though, I am guilty of speed reading sometimes….or choosing the short story book on days I am in a rush!

  21. Mines a bit older, the biggest mistake I make is letting her pick out the book without paying attention. It turns out to be about a 100 pages long and from her older sister’s room every time. #dreamteam

  22. Haha, this made me laugh. And why do they insist in reading the same book over and OVER again?? I remember a particularly bleak period last year when we had to read Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose every night for what felt like about 6 months. It took all my strength not to torch that book when she finally moved onto something else! #dreamteam

  23. Dynamic Dad says:

    Thankfully we’ve moved on to longer stories now – but I do remember these.

  24. Nazrin says:

    I’m sad I’m not one of those children that got read a bedtime story but I promise to do it for my own! This is a brilliant post I had a right giggle reading through this!

  25. My most common mistake is falling asleep myself mid-story! Sometimes it works to my advantage as when I wake up Emma has also fallen asleep (bored to sleep probably!), but more often than not I get woken up with demands to finish the story! #blogtober18

  26. Heather Keet says:

    This had me clutching my sides, the GIFs were perfectly matched! #DreamTeam

  27. Rosie Doal says:

    Hands up – I was probably guilty of a few of these over the years. My kids are now 12 and 8 so we don’t really do bedtime stories anymore. They prefer to read their books to themselves before lights out. But oh, how vivid those memories are! #DreamTeam

  28. Been guilty of 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, and I think I might always do 4… Hahaha! Great!

  29. Dave - Dad’s Turn says:

    Also, that Gif at number 4 is awesome! #DreamTeam

  30. Hilarious should tell my husband not to over animate #dreamteam

  31. Kirsty says:

    So guilty of numbers 5 and 7…. I shall reprimand myself shortly once I finish the bedtime story marathon. #DreamTeam

  32. Anya has got to the stage where she wants to read the story. It takes a long time… I like that I can skip pages with Zach as he is easily distracted! #dreamteam

  33. Lucy At Home says:

    Hahaha I think I can hold my hands up to all of these! Hubby often teases me for my “dramatic” stories, saying that I get the girls too giddy and excited when I’m reading. I can’t help it – I love books and I get really into them! Hahaha. #blogcrush

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

#DreamTeam linky summer edition

#DreamTeam linky - summer edition 2023

Me, in the Middle

School reading list top picks for March 2022

Me, in the Middle is featured in The School Reading List

Author

Me, in the Middle – Author event at London South Bank Imagine Children’s Festival!

me in the middle

Happy Book Birthday Me, in the Middle

Me, in the Middle cover art reveal - *giggles, my second picture book!!

WILD

Wild by Annette Demetriou and Dawn White

WILD is now out in Spanish!

Wild - debut children's picture book

WILD – Our debut children’s picture book

Dad blogger Ross Good from The Stented Papa is the official storyteller for WILD!

Wild publication day

Happy book birthday WILD!

Finalist

“BiBs

Inspiration











Blog charts

Blogging with

3 Little Buttons

Part of

BritMums

Looking for something?