World Book Day

It’s World Book Day today and without meaning to sound smug, I don’t have to worry about costumes for my children.  No more completely unreasonable last-minute change of character (and therefore costume), no more seeing what I can find in the back of the wardrobe and no more trying to make something at home, armed with my trusty hot glue gun.  For the first time in 10 years, I have been able to relax on the World Book Day costume front.  But despite feeling happy that there is one less thing for me to organise, I do confess to feeling a slight pang of sadness.  For it marks a passing of time with my children and is another signal that they are growing up.

For me, one of the joys of being a parent to young children was reading to and with them.  World Book Day was a chance to celebrate their love of books, characters and reading.  Taking the time to read with children is such a simple thing to do, yet effective in so many ways.  Without question, reading with children is essential for their reading development.  But far more than that, it was time exceptionally well spent with them.  It was an opportunity to connect with each other, to find funny stories that made us laugh and stories that started many conversations.  And the fabulous consequence of reading with children is that it can provide them with warmth, security and above all else, love.  And we want our children to feel loved and secure. 

And it got me thinking about separated parents.  Parents who want to do bedtime stories, but child arrangements mean that is not possible as they are not together all week.  Or those parents who live in different countries to their children and so bedtime stories seem an impossible dream.

In our digital age, parents can still try to ensure that they read to their children, even if they are not physically in the same postcode.  Is there any reason why one parent could not record stories for their little ones to listen to, or indeed read along to if they are old enough?  The only requirements for its success would be for one parent’s willingness to record the stories and for the other parent to agree to play the recording for their child.  Easier said than done, I know.  And please don’t let this suggestion descend into arguments about which parents are going to read (digitally or otherwise) to their children.  This should be an opportunity for those parents who do not have their children staying with them overnight very often, to be able to read to them.  To show their child they are loved.  It will take effort, planning and commitment to make it work.  But if parents want to make their children feel loved and secure, why would they not try?

So, for family law practitioners and parents reading this, consider whether digital stories read by one parent could be another tool with which to promote and maintain positive relationships between parents and their children.