[Poll] As a child... were you?

twowheels · 11-07-2014, 06:00 PM

For no particular reason, this post got me to thinking about reading under the covers a child: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...4&postcount=57

I used to hide under the covers with the flashlight and read well past my bedtime, hoping not to get caught from light leaking around the edges. I was often in trouble with my parents who said that I needed to escape the fantasy world of books and live in the real world more.

So... it made me wonder... how about posters here? Did you have to sneak reading time? Did you read a lot? Did your parents feel that you read too much, not enough, or no opinion?

Edit: My 's' key seemed to have been stubborn when making the poll. Ooops. :-)

Ravensknight · 11-07-2014, 06:06 PM

what about an option for parents who ENCOURAGED reading? My mother read to me every day after school and then when I discovered the library, my dad made sure to take us there on the weekends...

PeterT · 11-07-2014, 06:10 PM

I was slow learning to read; my Mother threatened me with stopping my subscription to the Eagle comic which either she or my sisters used to read to me.

Suffice it to say, I was reading within weeks of that.

Then the problem came one of how to stop me reading. Eventually a TV appeared in the house in a vain attempt to slow down my reading. Of course, we were only allowed to watch BBC1 and BBC2; none of that commercial ITV nonsense for our house!

crich70 · 11-07-2014, 06:14 PM

I chose that they 'felt I read too much' as more than one time my mom would have to say "put down the book, turn out the light, and go to sleep."

Cosimo · 11-07-2014, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

what about an option for parents who ENCOURAGED reading? My mother read to me every day after school and then when I discovered the library, my dad made sure to take us there on the weekends...

This!

My mother read to me, my grandmothers, too. I remember Granny taking me to the library to get my first library card.

Ripplinger · 11-07-2014, 06:17 PM

I was never nagged to read, just having books around was encouragement enough. I had some Nancy Drew books, and then started on my brother's near complete collection of the Hardy Boys. I just enjoyed reading without the nagging. And yes, there were nights where I'd sneak a flashlight under the covers too when I didn't want to quit for the night. If only I had a front-lit reader back then, I'm sure I'd have done it every night!

Graham · 11-07-2014, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

what about an option for parents who ENCOURAGED reading? My mother read to me every day after school and then when I discovered the library, my dad made sure to take us there on the weekends...

Same here. Reading was huge for us. We all went to the library every weekend. Book tokens were regular gifts, and the trip to the bookshop to spend them was always special.

I didn't vote in Set 1 as there needs to be the option for those of us whose parents made reading part of the fabric of our childhoods.

Graham

kristalana · 11-07-2014, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

what about an option for parents who ENCOURAGED reading? My mother read to me every day after school and then when I discovered the library, my dad made sure to take us there on the weekends...

Ha I was about to say! I read a ton as a child and my parents loved it. Really no option for me in the poll as it stands.

ccadi · 11-07-2014, 07:10 PM

Thought the poll choices were rather negative

Apache · 11-07-2014, 08:18 PM

Can't pick my choice since it is not available. I can not remember a time I did not read. My parents encouraged me to read and took me to the library anytime I wanted to go.
If you are going to have a poll you should have choices for both sides of the argument.
Apache

4691mls · 11-07-2014, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

what about an option for parents who ENCOURAGED reading? My mother read to me every day after school and then when I discovered the library, my dad made sure to take us there on the weekends...

me too - my parents always encouraged us to read and we went to the library regularly

meeera · 11-07-2014, 10:04 PM

I was encouraged to read, too, though I didn't need any encouragement. I did have one teacher that wrote on my report that I should read less and spend more time presenting my work neatly. My parents sorted him out.

DuskyRose · 11-07-2014, 10:28 PM

My Mom says that she read to us, but I honestly have no memory of her doing so. I was the eldest of three, so you'd think I'd at least remember her reading to the other kids or had some favorite childhood books in my room as I grew up, but I didn't. Since she once bragged that she hadn't read a book in 20 years, I have my doubts. Most of my life we had three books in the house. The Bible. The dictionary and a medical book.

My parents always told me I read too much. All growing up I had to fight for every book I could get a hold of. I used to leave school at lunch and spend my lunch money at the local grocery store and sneak home a book to read at least once a week. I guess in one way I was lucky they had no interest, because they never check to see if what I was reading was appropriate for my age. Some of it wasn't . : )

My parents didn't see the point or use in it, but since they also didn't let us have friends over very often, didn't like us going to friend's houses, or otherwise make any noise in the house, there wasn't much else to do. And my wanting to be a librarian when I grew up was pretty quickly smothered.

My grandparents thought I read too much as well. (Young ladies should never sit and do nothing. That's what sewing and other such needle work were for. Keeps your hands busy and out of trouble. Have to always be productive.) None of my Aunts or Uncles read. None of my cousins. Neither of my sisters.

So I have books everywhere. I get twitchy if I don't have one on me, either paper or ebook. Dear Hubby can't read for pleasure as he has a learning disability that slows him down. But he LOVES audio books. My two kids, in their twenties, read. It's a race to see who gets to the end of the newest Dresden Files book when they come out. : ) They were read to all the time, and got to stay up an hour past bed time if they were reading.

I've been lucky in that it took with my kids. I just hope that my (future) grand kids read too. But you never can tell. Some people just don't take to it, no matter how much you'd like them too.

Phogg · 11-07-2014, 10:43 PM

My parents are bibliophiles who encouraged me to read.
There was that bedtime thing, but a sleeping bag will prevent the flashlight from showing.

cromag · 11-07-2014, 11:23 PM

Hmmm. There really isn't an accurate answer for me.

My parents encouraged me to read, but did not want me to read science fiction. They tried forbidding it, making me read other genres in between science fiction titles, giving mer lists of acceptable titles, etc.

It never really worked.

View Poll Results: Did you have to hide your reading?
Set 1: My parents felt I read too much	65	38.69%
Set 1: My parents had to nag me to read	4	2.38%
Set 1: My parents didn't have an opinion about my reading	68	40.48%
Set 2: I hid under the covers with a flashlight	91	54.17%
Set 2: No way, I didn't read in bed!	9	5.36%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 168. You may not vote on this poll

11-07-2014, 06:00 PM	#1
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,854 Karma: 13432974 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro, Boox Note Max	[Poll] As a child... were you? For no particular reason, this post got me to thinking about reading under the covers a child: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...4&postcount=57 I used to hide under the covers with the flashlight and read well past my bedtime, hoping not to get caught from light leaking around the edges. I was often in trouble with my parents who said that I needed to escape the fantasy world of books and live in the real world more. So... it made me wonder... how about posters here? Did you have to sneak reading time? Did you read a lot? Did your parents feel that you read too much, not enough, or no opinion? Edit: My 's' key seemed to have been stubborn when making the poll. Ooops. :-) Last edited by twowheels; 11-07-2014 at 06:16 PM.

11-07-2014, 07:10 PM	#9
ccadi Alive'n'Reading Posts: 43 Karma: 70 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: uk Device: Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Libra 2, Paperwhite 5 SE	Thought the poll choices were rather negative Last edited by ccadi; 11-08-2014 at 10:44 AM.

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11-07-2014, 06:06 PM	#2
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	what about an option for parents who ENCOURAGED reading? My mother read to me every day after school and then when I discovered the library, my dad made sure to take us there on the weekends...

11-07-2014, 06:10 PM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,528 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	I was slow learning to read; my Mother threatened me with stopping my subscription to the Eagle comic which either she or my sisters used to read to me. Suffice it to say, I was reading within weeks of that. Then the problem came one of how to stop me reading. Eventually a TV appeared in the house in a vain attempt to slow down my reading. Of course, we were only allowed to watch BBC1 and BBC2; none of that commercial ITV nonsense for our house!

11-07-2014, 06:14 PM	#4
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I chose that they 'felt I read too much' as more than one time my mom would have to say "put down the book, turn out the light, and go to sleep."

11-07-2014, 06:17 PM	#6
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	I was never nagged to read, just having books around was encouragement enough. I had some Nancy Drew books, and then started on my brother's near complete collection of the Hardy Boys. I just enjoyed reading without the nagging. And yes, there were nights where I'd sneak a flashlight under the covers too when I didn't want to quit for the night. If only I had a front-lit reader back then, I'm sure I'd have done it every night!

11-07-2014, 08:18 PM	#10
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,277 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Can't pick my choice since it is not available. I can not remember a time I did not read. My parents encouraged me to read and took me to the library anytime I wanted to go. If you are going to have a poll you should have choices for both sides of the argument. Apache

11-07-2014, 10:04 PM	#12
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,817 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	I was encouraged to read, too, though I didn't need any encouragement. I did have one teacher that wrote on my report that I should read less and spend more time presenting my work neatly. My parents sorted him out.

11-07-2014, 10:28 PM	#13
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 754 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Note Air3, Palma, K-Scribe, Eclipsa 2e, & Libra 2, Ipads	My Mom says that she read to us, but I honestly have no memory of her doing so. I was the eldest of three, so you'd think I'd at least remember her reading to the other kids or had some favorite childhood books in my room as I grew up, but I didn't. Since she once bragged that she hadn't read a book in 20 years, I have my doubts. Most of my life we had three books in the house. The Bible. The dictionary and a medical book. My parents always told me I read too much. All growing up I had to fight for every book I could get a hold of. I used to leave school at lunch and spend my lunch money at the local grocery store and sneak home a book to read at least once a week. I guess in one way I was lucky they had no interest, because they never check to see if what I was reading was appropriate for my age. Some of it wasn't . : ) My parents didn't see the point or use in it, but since they also didn't let us have friends over very often, didn't like us going to friend's houses, or otherwise make any noise in the house, there wasn't much else to do. And my wanting to be a librarian when I grew up was pretty quickly smothered. My grandparents thought I read too much as well. (Young ladies should never sit and do nothing. That's what sewing and other such needle work were for. Keeps your hands busy and out of trouble. Have to always be productive.) None of my Aunts or Uncles read. None of my cousins. Neither of my sisters. So I have books everywhere. I get twitchy if I don't have one on me, either paper or ebook. Dear Hubby can't read for pleasure as he has a learning disability that slows him down. But he LOVES audio books. My two kids, in their twenties, read. It's a race to see who gets to the end of the newest Dresden Files book when they come out. : ) They were read to all the time, and got to stay up an hour past bed time if they were reading. I've been lucky in that it took with my kids. I just hope that my (future) grand kids read too. But you never can tell. Some people just don't take to it, no matter how much you'd like them too.

11-07-2014, 10:43 PM	#14
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	My parents are bibliophiles who encouraged me to read. There was that bedtime thing, but a sleeping bag will prevent the flashlight from showing.

11-07-2014, 11:23 PM	#15
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,301 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Hmmm. There really isn't an accurate answer for me. My parents encouraged me to read, but did not want me to read science fiction. They tried forbidding it, making me read other genres in between science fiction titles, giving mer lists of acceptable titles, etc. It never really worked.

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