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For Parents- continuedMore is Better Even though I have lofty goals, we have come to an age when the act of reading is more important than what children read. There are many things in their world that compete with reading -- television and movies on video, electronic toys, computer games, the internet, and talking on the telephone with not just one friend but several (thanks to conference calling). Reading almost anything is better than playing an electronic game or watching 99.9% of what is on television! Every chance I get, I try to get my daughters to read. Just like you I sometimes meet with limited success. But I try to get them to read by recommending books that will excite them and by reading books out loud to them every single day. Reading = Brain Vitamins The best way parents like you and me can help our children read is to make reading an essential part of our own daily lives - like taking our vitamins or brushing our teeth or enjoying the sun rising and setting, or saying "I love you" to our spouses and children. Parents who try to get their children to read, but who don't read themselves, are a little like the parents who tell children to eat broccoli but don't ever eat it themselves. (I happen to like broccoli, by the way.) Rules, Rules, Rules So, the first rule of being the parent of a reading child is to READ. And not just the newspaper or the TV guide. Share and Share Alike The second rule of being the parent of a reading child is to talk about what you are reading. Sharing what you read, and allowing your child to share what they are reading, can open up not just books but thoughts and dreams and beliefs and misconceptions and joy and hurts and surprises - parent to child and child to parent. Sharing books is a lovely way to share yourself with your child and for your child to share himself with you. Sharing books means sharing feelings. I cry during some movies and I cry while reading some books. I don't fight the need to cry while reading with my children. They need to know that books are powerful. You can show them. And don't judge what your child shares with you. Instead, try to look at the book the way her or she does. Learn from your child. Listen to your child. Respect your child's point-of-view, even when you feel the need to tell them that you disagree or see things differently. But, be careful. Books can be extremely personal. Sometimes, books should be explored in private. So many confusing feelings and thoughts can be safely explored through reading books. My parents would never have let me read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE when I was in seventh grade. But I didn't ask them. I needed to read it. So I bought it and I devoured it - in secret. It is a book I still occasionally read, because it continues to amaze, entertain, and move me. More for Parents
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