Keep Kids Reading

All I Want for Christmas Is...

Maybe your family is different, but my children (when they were elementary- age) often didn't really know what they wanted for Christmas. Sometimes they thought they knew what would be fun or exciting, but they were simply being duped by the television commercials depicting children having loads of fun with some (I thought) stupid, boring product.

So - being the all-wise parent that I hope I am - I have often chosen gifts for the children that they had not asked for. Also, I really enjoy surprising them.

My goal in gift-giving included helping them grow as individuals. Usually, I'd plan to get three things for each child. First, I'd choose something that would encourage creative play or play-acting, such as a dollhouse, kitchen set, medical kit, even costumes. Something to help them try something new and learn who they are.

Second, I'd look for something constructive to do with their hands. Things like Legos, an erector set, crochet, or paints.

And finally, I'd look for something to grow their minds. Puzzles or games or a magazine subscription. Yes, even books.

Such a variety was sure to bring joy to each child. If I guessed badly on one, they usually enjoyed the others and the one became useful or appreciated in time.

I was surprised to see how much the children enjoyed receiving something to read. In recent years, my youngest has requested a particular series of books for herself and to share with her cousins. I'm particularly pleased with her request, because the series is one that I created! They are personalized e- novels. Each story allows the child to go on an "adventure" with two friends to meet an historical character, such as Joseph Lister or Mother Teresa.

So - at her request - this year I'll be giving a printed version of the Joseph Lister book, Where Nobody Cares If You're Dirty, to my daughter and her two cousins, and together they'll read the book chapter by chapter during our family's Christmas gathering, and they'll see themselves on an adventure together through time.

That brings to mind the final gift I always try to include each year: Something for the family to do together. One year it was a membership to the zoo; another year it was a weekend getaway. Almost every year we include a game that goes across age levels and that we can all enjoy together.

I hope you've found gifts this year to build up your loved ones, perhaps also those that encourage family time. These are gifts that will continue to give even after the actual item is broken or outgrown. Because people are eternal, and relationships last forever.

Do have a wonderful Christmas celebration! Enjoy your family.

-- Ginia Dible

At Custom Books Online, we offer personalized adventure novels that seek to build positive character traits in your reader: Compassion, Perseverance, Determination, Courage. For reading Grades 2-5. Check us out!

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Direction Needed

When my son entered the sixth grade, he suddenly became too old for children's books. Although he seemed ready for the pre-teen section of the library, I decided to see what type of books this area offered.

Our library website offers many suggested reading lists, including one for the pre-teen reading level. How helpful! I thought. Eagerly, I looked through the list and picked out a book that sounded good. It was about a boy and his father and promised the development of their relationship as the boy moved into adolescence.

Soon after I got it, I sat down to look more thoroughly. Specifically, I was looking for cuss words (something we'd had problems with before). What I found was even more disturbing.

The first chapter jumped between three different character viewpoints, and it was difficult to follow.

It started out with the boy (our protagonist), talking to a good friend who can scarcely speak a sentence without dragging on his cigarette or making interesting smoke rings during the conversation.

Then we jump to a brief scene with the father, who was having difficulty with his job. Far from giving details about his troubles, however, the passage was full of the father's anger and disrespect toward his boss.

A few paragraphs later, when our protagonist meets the daughter of his father's friend, his sister comments, "She just wants to jump your bones."

By this time I was trying to figure out how this book got to be acclaimed as good reading for impressionable 12-year-old boys. The author had even won an award.

I was shocked and appalled. Drugs, sex, disrespect for authority? These are NOT the things that should be woven into a novel in such a matter-of-fact way that implies they are common or acceptable. Where are the books that develop character, inspire our teens to develop themselves positively, encourage our young people to great aspirations, goals, and dreams for the future?

I would hope this particular novel might have addressed some problem in a positive way. I can't say that I would know. I stopped reading at the end of chapter one. (I'm not sure I would have made it that far, except that I was so astounded I had to see more.)

I will say that the book taught me a very valuable lesson: As long as my children remain under my parental authority, I will actively assist them in choosing their reading material.

We parents might look at it this way:

Would we consider allowing our child to play or associate with just anyone in the school or neighborhood? Or do we assist them in choosing their playmates and their friends? Do we step in when they seem to be picking the wrong friends?

In the same way, then, it seems wise to direct their choices in books as well. Books are the work of authors, who may have values or worldviews that conflict with what our children are taught at home. Do we want our children's minds to be influenced by just anybody? I think not.

I encourage you to stay diligent. Most of us are already wary of television shows and movies. Unfortunately, we must add books to the list of possible dangers. While they are young and impressionable, let's consider our children's minds and hearts as we assist them in choosing what ideas they place in their heads. There are lot of books out there which are uplifting, inspiring, and promote good character traits. Let's help them choose those.

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Finding answers

"Mom, do worms have legs?" he asks me.

I answer.

"Do lizards hibernate? What about salamanders? Do fish die when the pond freezes?"

To the best of my ability, I answer.

"Where do grasshoppers go in the winter? What do they eat? Is a praying mantis a kind of grasshopper?"

I pause. I think. I open my mouth to answer.

"How many babies does a ladybug have? Do they all have the same number of spots?"

I try not to roll my eyes. Inside I'm screaming. No more! Stop! Please, please, don't ask me any more questions. I'm not an encyclopedia.

But wait. I pause again. I consider. And then….

"Here, son. I don't know. But here's what we'll do." I put on a bright smile and lead him toward the bookshelf. Not the kids' shelf full of Dr. Seuss and Where's Waldo. Not the library shelf full of my novels and Dad's latest projects.

No. I lead him to the mahogany shelves in the formal livingroom, where rows of (imitation) leather-bound books line up in stately attention. I take him to THE ENCYCLOPEDIA.

I sit on the floor, and he sits next to me. Then I say brightly, "You want to know how many babies a ladybug has?"

He nods.

"Okay," I say, "Let's find out!"

I show him how to find the book with "ladybug" in it. We look it up together. I read the first paragraph. Then I point to the next. "You try," I say. He takes the book from me. He falters a little, but he keeps reading.

He stops. "It didn't say," he tells me.

Oh-oh.

"Some ladybugs don't even have spots." He pauses. "They lay their eggs on leaves. Some lay eggs only once a year. But some lay eggs several times a year."

He pauses again and looks back at the book. He turns a couple pages. "Cool. All about leeches." And he begins reading again.

I realize I've solved two concerns. I've helped him find the answers. And I've shown him the benefits of reading. I've taken what he wanted (answers), and I've motivated him to read.

I walk away, content. My son continues reading. Because he wants to.

Don't have an encyclopedia in your home? Check the children's section of your library for any number of encyclopedias with specialty interests such as nature, animals, flowers, rocks, space, even dresses of our nation's First Ladies. Whatever interests your child. Find answers. Keep that kid reading!

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An example worth 1000 words

When my daughter was one, she loved to play in the kitchen while I cooked the family dinner. Her favorite toys there were the plastic food containers I let her use, as she pretended to cook dinner along with me.

When she was two, she sat at the computer and punched the keys, doing what she'd seen her parents do day after day.

When she was four, she pretended to drive the family car, sitting up as tall as she could so that she could see over the dashboard and turning the wheel, with her little legs dangling over the seat unable to reach even the floor, let alone the pedals.

Parents know that children learn by example. What they see us do speaks so much more loudly than what we say! So I must ask myself, Have they seen me read lately? Do they only hear me tell them to read, but never see me open a book? Do my actions prove to them that I find reading beneficial for all ages, adults included?

I had to face it. Taking the time to really get into a good book is difficult when you have three children playing in the room. One needs this. Another wants to show you that. Someone always has a question. Reading in peace is almost impossible.

But that's exactly what I decided I must do. How else would they pick up on the value that reading is important. Reading is a good thing. Reading is valuable to me. And finally, reading can be all that to them as well.

So instead of waiting until the children went to bed and having the quiet of the evening for my pleasure reading, I resolved to bring reading into the daytime and early evening when the children could be aware that I, too, did in fact read. I just didn't talk about it. I actually did it, too. Because I want to. Not because some older person told me to.

And I found something even better. Rather than reading long and involved texts while the children were awake, I often read shorter items. News pieces. Jokes from the Reader's Digest. Papers sent home from school. Even articles from the children's magazines. The something better was that, while reading these items, I suddenly found interesting things to share with the children.

"Say, did you know that slugs have 3,000 teeth?" I might ask, while reading my daughter's magazine from National Geographic.

"Ha! You've got to hear this story about a pet who saved its owner!" I cry. Maybe I'll read it aloud. Or better yet, I'll deny myself that pleasure and hand the magazine to her to read. And before I know it, she's spent an additional 20 minutes reading today. Pleasure reading. Because she wanted to.

Suddenly, the example I gave her today really was worth 1000 words!

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Want them to read? Don’t forget this!

If your home is like mine, school breaks and weekends quickly become times with the children looking for something to do. And when they ask me that age-old question, "What can we do, Mom?"; I often fall back on one of my favorite answers: Why don't you find something to read?

Not long ago my oldest child asked that question, but before I could answer, I realized that reading was not a good answer for her that day, and it was entirely my fault. The child had already read the books we'd gotten at the library. We had nothing new of interest. Even her magazines had been thoroughly digested. If she were to read that afternoon, I was going to have to provide something. So we made a trip to the library.

As I said, I was to blame for her not reading that day. This was one child who needs little encouragement to read, and she had in her head a list of books recommended by her friends which she wanted to read next. There was little to do but get her a copy of the books.

How often do we wish that our children take some time to read, yet we have not completely provided that activity to happen? In order to make reading possible -- even probable -- in our homes, we parents must provide the basic. Here are three:

First, make it possible, simply by providing the materials! Get to the library. Subscribe to good magazines at their reading level. Purchase books at garage sales or from school flyers. Borrow from (and lend to) friends with children at similar ages.

Second, get them something they enjoy reading. I have one child who prefers fiction. Sometimes it's science fiction. Other times the current reading spurt is historical fiction. But fiction it is. Another child prefers nonfiction. So I make sure those books are always on hand for that one.

Third, we might make sure that there is a good location for the reading to take place. If someone is watching television in the family room, and the light is burned out in the living room, and a younger sibling is asleep in the bedroom . . . well, it's pretty difficult to encourage someone to read when there is simply no good place to do it.

So before I get on my children about spending time reading, I must look at what I've done to make it possible. And then, with their imaginations taken away with their various reading choices, we'll really see the possibilities begin.

Many hopes for great possibilities in your home!

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Moving from TV time to family time

'Twas a cold winter's night, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring -- neither child nor spouse.
The family were nestled all snug on the couch.
While watching the tube, they'd all learned to slouch.

So occasionally, I turn off the television. I'm lucky. I have at least one supporter (my youngest) when I put down my foot and make it a cozy family time instead of TV time. (Okay, my husband supports me, too, but I think he's glad it's me taking the initiative and not he.)

So what does one do on a cold winter night – without a television?

What first comes to my mind is sitting around the fire, telling stories, and watching the flames dance and enchant. Perfect for s'mores, even, or popping that old Jiffy pop over the fire in the grate. (Yes, apparently, they do still sell it.) Let the little ones build a tent out of a blanket, and get pillows to lie on around the fire together.

Sounds enchanting, doesn't it? Except we don't have a fireplace.

Instead, for that same ambience, I've found this alternative:

Light a candle, or two, or five. Set the radio or CD player to some soft music. (I like acoustic guitar or piano.) Encourage everyone to come in pajamas or casual clothes, and snuggle against pillows or in blankets.

Then tell a story. Or read a story. Pick an old favorite to read to everyone. Yes, even teens and adults can enjoy story together. (Isn't that what television is, anyway? – enjoying a good story together?)

Adults can take turns reading. Teens, too.

If you've got one or two who can't quite seem to sit still, allow them to play with a favorite toy. The point is to spend an enjoyable evening together. You don't have to require total attention. If older ones are too laden with homework, allow them to bring their math homework to work on in the relaxed atmosphere.

From reading a story, you can move off into conversation about the story. What would you have done in these circumstances? How would it make you feel? Do you think the character acted wisely? Asking questions and discussing possibilities is a tremendous opportunity to grow together as a family and get to know each other better. (We still need to get to know our own children -- don't we? -- especially as they grow older.)

Not so long ago, before the days of television, people gathered around the radio. And before that, they gathered for telling news of the day, sharing stories, and playing music or singing. Evenings were full of family time and sharing.

We don't have to miss out on the benefits of such evenings. We do, however, have to take the effort to make it happen. My teens may roll their eyes when I set aside such an evening in my house. I simply remind them to record their favorite shows for a later viewing and require them to come anyway. It doesn't bother me if they think it's silly. After two or three evenings, I suspect they may even look forward to such times together, where they know they belong, as part of this family.

And although each evening in itself won't be a life-altering or memorable activity in and of itself, over the course of the winter I'm making memories of a family who spends quiet, warm evenings together by the firelight on a cold winter's night.

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Make 2007 a year for reading

When making “resolutions” for the new year, most minds lean toward “do’s” and “don’ts” in the area of self improvement. But as a parent, making changes in the direction the family is going falls to my generation, and milestone dates such as the New Year are excellent opportunities to re-evaluate and make adjustments.

As a mother of three, I try to set out some goals for the children’s growth during the new year. Perhaps for this child I’ll see to it that swimming lessons happen. Perhaps that child I should encourage more in his sport. This other one certainly needs guidelines in keeping the bedroom picked up more regularly!

It falls to me as well to make sure that reading goals are kept up. Depending on the child, it may be either difficult or easy. But if I don’t plan to succeed, then I may inevitably be planning to fail. After all, it is I who can drive to the library. It is I who orders books at the book fairs or magazines through the mail. It is I who has authority to limit the television. And it is I who must move the laundry off the couch to make room for reading.

So what does that mean I should do this year?

1. Make a trip to the library.

I’ll do it this week. Whether the children come or not, I will make sure each person in the family has at least four books to read. (Adults, too!) Four books leaves one per week until they are due, at which time I’ll be forced to return to the library, right?

2. Think through their reading levels and get them something both at their levels and something slightly challenging.

Watch how they take to the more challenging book, and if it’s a go, plan to get more at that level next time. Otherwise, fall back to the easier level, but make sure the reading continues.

3. I’d like to keep a list this year of what each child is reading.

Then I can look back and see if and how they’ve progressed, what type of books or subjects interest each child, which authors engage them, and what genres to look for in the future. (And if I don’t have time to write the titles down, I can at least keep the handy-dandy library receipt that lists the titles for future reference.)

4. Make goals.

By summer, I’d like to see this one child move to that series. I’ll encourage that one to try chapter books. I’ll urge the other to try mysteries instead of romances. And then, of course, with it being summer, I’ll set forth in my mind a new set of goals for summer reading.

If you, like me, want to see your children grow in knowledge, wisdom, and thinking processes, I encourage you as well to set out some goals for yourself and for them. This year, plan to make room for reading in your house.

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About Keep Kids Reading

These motivational tips are copyrighted by Ginia Dible. However, you are welcome to copy and distribute these tips in whole, with reference to www.keepkidsreading.com. Feel free to link to this page. Questions? Email me.