I had stories forever... no songs though that seems a little over the top.

Whoa. Lol. I stopped reading to my kids last year, my youngest was 6 (oldest was 10 BUT she only got bedtime story and the 'goodnight cuddle song' because I was doing it for the youngest).

I weaned them off, I started to get all 3 to read their books from school to themselves at bedtime, I put them to bed fifteen minutes before their bedtime, left the light on, they read and then light off.

Doing all that for the 10yo... is really weird! You must feel awkward, hope your DH comes around soon to face the music that his little girl is growing up!

It's not about the reading. It's not about the tucking in. It's about dad paying attention to her for 10 minutes a day, and she'll be too old for it when she's up and out.

I understand why it's annoying.

Realize that this interaction might keep her from being promiscuous at 13. This may just segue into her knowing she's got some face time to talk to her dad about something deep before it becomes a crisis. The attention she craves from dad that she doesn't get, she'll eventually seek elsewhere, and she IS way too young for THAT.

Geez Louise! I had this crap too and it was a bloody eye opener I can tell you! SD, at 11, STILL wanted to sleep with Daddy and for Daddy to sing to her. Mind you, since she was a baby, all SD wanted was her Dad - and BM would let her cry her brains out until DH got home - then launch SD into his arms and walk out saying it was "her time now". Anyway, SD got so used to this it got to the point where she refused to settle down unless he:

a) held her
b) slept with her
c) sang to her

When him and I started seriously dating and he would come over to visit me, she would text/call and throw a hissy fit if he wasn't going to be home in time to sing to her (even though her Gma was there with her). DH didn't see anything wrong with this until I googled and found this site.. did a blog and got heaps of feedback. I showed it to him and he started doing his own research and came to the same conclusion. That this is damaging to the child - not comforting. SS never neeeded or demanded any of this because he wasn't super clingy to his dad.

Now, SD was in complete mini-wife status, grew entitled and demanded more of his time as she got older. She resented our relationship and became outright hostile. She now refuses to see him any more because in her opinion, he "changed". The only change DH made was that he no longer spoils her, caters to her every whim and is treating her the same way he treats SS11. She has grown up to be spoilt, selfish, greedy and completely egotistical.

I would sit your DH down and ask him to do some research about molly-coddling your child to the point where they don't know how to self-soothe. Kids like this grow up always dependent on someone else for their happiness. It's quite pathetic and sad, really.

Maybe I am misunderstanding story time... but I remember my mom reading to me every night until I was at least 13... Then again we would read books like the lord of the rings as a family in the living room type of thing. It gave me a huge passion for books instead of Nintendo and TV I feel it really gave me a great reading comprehension as well. Soon after that it turned into us all reading on our own. I just feel like that shouldn't ever be a bad thing! Would much rather kids be read to then encouraged to sit on their buts in front of a TV not using any intellectual skills instead letting their brain turn to mush. I for one am thankful for nightly reading times. I think the singing is more the problem but what is the big deal about reading in her bedroom. At least she does not have a tv in their. SO wanted to get SD6 a TV for her room for a while I said absolutely not... we should be reading to her!

Yea..I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with him reading to his child before sleep. I am kind of amazed that some think it is a bad thing...