Nice parent's bit of bedtime reading (4)

I believe the answer is:

mere

'nice parent's' is the definition.
('mother' in French, eg in Nice)

'bit of bedtime reading' is the wordplay.
'bit of' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'MERE' is hidden in the letters of 'bedtime reading'.

(Other definitions for mere that I've seen before include "Lake; Wiltshire town" , "bathing may be permitted in this?" , "Just an English lake" , "Lake; simple" , "Paltry" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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