Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...

Once upon a time, children loved to read and parents loved to read to them. From classic fairytales of good overcoming evil to nursery rhymes, picture books and even books in the bath, reading was the main way you could bond with your child and help aid their mental development from a young age. Not only that, reading was a life skill to nurture over the years so that one day, when your child was no longer a child, they could learn about the world around them, understand it and in turn use that information to help themselves and others.

Sadly, it seems, this story in itself could become a fairytale. According to a new study by Littlewoods, who are launching a storytelling competition for kids,

The study revealed a third of parents never read their young children a story at night and just 64 per cent of those with children under seven read to them at all. The average modern day child gets three bedtime stories a week but unbelievably, a quarter of a million children aged seven or under do not own a single book. Is it just me or is that utter madness? Books are cheap, educational and in ready supply - I wonder how many of those children have computers or games consoles of some kind, or even mobile phones?

However, it seems it's not necessarily down to just plain, lazy parenting - children just don't seem to be as interested in stories anymore. According to the survey, nearly half of kids would much rather watch TV, play with toys or computer games.

Reading is something that needs to be nurtured but I for one am sad to hear that children just aren't as into books as I was when I was little. Sure, it's not everyone's hobby, but it's an essential part of growing up and reading and writing stories helps children develop their imaginations and understanding of the world.

I'd like to see more emphasis placed on reading from an early age and all through childhood. Access to new technology isn't necessarily a bad thing but as will all things in life, moderation is key. Ethan will never just be given the choice of watching a DVD before bed - he can watch for a set amount of time now and then, always supervised, but always with a nice book to send him off to sleep. Hell, he'll even have books in the car and in the bath!

Some of my favourite books over the years when I was growing up are below - what were your favourite tales?

If every child has reading as part of their play and their learning, then children will surely live happily ever after.