I am quite impressed with the article. I have always felt that Reading is an endangered habit hobby call it whatever you may, nowadays. The ratio of people in a bookstore to those in a silly slapstick movie is far less. I have always felt the need to introduce kids early in life to reading. That goes a long way in making them a better behaved person. Tips that are shared here are also very practical. Lucky Kids I must admit you have.
RE: Is your child a tube monster?
by deepti on Oct 10, 2006 09:45 AM
The author's views are good, but I think they're a little extreme.
My mother read to me for years, ever since I was a year old. She never read 70 books a week (I doubt she really had the time) but she read to me at every meal and at every bedtime. I had some favourite picture books that I would get her to read out repeatedly -- "The Elephant and the Bad Baby" being one favourite that I remember. For years we had only Doordarshan, which only my parents would watch. We had videos though, that I loved to watch, and video and computer games, which I still love to play. That doesn't mean I didn't grow up on Enid Blyton's Noddy and Famous Five and Secret Seven.
I don't think you ahould saturate a child with just books and nothing else. TV and computers and movies are a large part of the real world today. Books shouldn't be seen as the only way to stop the bad influence of TV, and nor can you keep dishing out scientific and educational stuff to your children always. They will want amusement and entertainment too. Children should be able to make their own desicions (and they're not exactly dumb). A parent can't force a child to read, or not to watch TV; only guide the child.
. I agree with the fact that books are the best guide and entertainment for kids. I have a daughter who is 14 months old. But she is crazy about books. She loves when I read her the books, making her sit in my lap. I started reading her books when she was eight months old. She likes to see at the pictures of animals, flowers and babies. She also likes to hear the sound of the words I read. That is what kids really enjoy when you read them book. They like to hear the words we pronounce with special effects.
Most surprising thing for me is that, when I read her page of the colors she gets excited that she is going to see the kittens on the next page. Reading books at an early age of eight months help kids have great memory, and when they go to school they can easily handle the books, because they know that books will be full of pictures and stories which they are going to enjoy.
She now reads the book, by turning pages, running her pointer finger through the text on the page, in her own language.
I also want my baby to be avoracious reader and I think Ive shown her the way to it.
I want to share an xperience with readers. I had cable connection for 3 yrs. We used to sleep at 12 or 1 o'clock, used to get up at 7, & the whole day's timetable used to get disturbed. But since 2 months I hve disconnected cable TV. We as a family spare more time for us & our children. They study well, play outdoor games, we sleep at 10 & get up at 6. We all go out for morning walk & have a very good & healthy daily schedule. Sleep early - rise early, Its the mantra given by our ansestors & I am xperiencing its benefits. I appeal readers to just feel the difference without the IDIOT BOX. B'cos there is nothing on it. Only disputes, family matters, extra maritial affairs, sex & violence. Nothing to learn & nothing to earn.
I read with much interest Zelda Pande's article. I find her suggestions very useful and practical. However, I do have to note (like she has partly confessed) that she was missing out in suggesting good books based on Indian culture. We have a lot of morality based stories and wholesome epics (Panchatantra, Ramayana/Mahabharata would be a good start?) and an over abundance of other Indian works in any field that you can think of (Lilavati Ganitham, Vedic Mathematics, Vedic Physics/Astronomy, Kautilya's Arthasastra for teenagers, etc.) This will ensure our children a very solid grounding in Indian society and culture with an emphasis on great Indian values, which has been so missing in the past couple of generations due to the explicit 'politically (in)correct' politics of the government.
i really think....that u want ur children to read books....but put it in a limit..every human has a limit..if u get beyond that u get a price to pay..example u will make ur daughters eyes weak she can get speks in a early age..i think u should make a time table for the to study read books let them enjoy life as well...when they will reach collage they will realise this is called fun,enjoyment i feel live life to the fullest cause u never know when u are goin to die...
A very good article. Before correcting my kids, I have to correct my self. I have become an addict to TV myself. I use to read at least 30 books during each summer holidays (when there was no TV). Now, I take few months to complete one book since most of my free time is spent watching some or the other TV program. The same is happening with my kids!
