| Let children read what is right | Send to a friend |
| Monday, 30 August 2010 16:49 |
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By Bernadina Kayumbe It does matter what type of reading you expose your children to, especially those in the schoolgoing age. I recall a story by my scribe husband, who happens to be an avid reader of anything that comes his way. The story is about how his dad (RIP) kept hidden in his bedroom, books unsuitable for the eyes of children. While 'illegally' going through his father's briefcase, he came across a collection of David G Mailu's books tucked somewhere in the old man's suitcase (it was anathema to touch anything belonging to the parents in those days). At the time, he was in Standard Seven. When his dad got a whiff of it, he unleashed his wrath by thrashing my husband - a beating he has not forgotten to this day. More books than bread Perhaps from realising that it was absolutely important to keep kids occupied with books, the old man brought home more books than bread from then on. That was the beginning of his reading life. By giving this analogy, I am not whetting kids’ curiosity to go snooping in their dad’s briefcases or mom’s handbags. Far from it! Kids from serious families, by the time they are in Grade Four, would have already read all comic magazines, and adventure books they can lay their hands on. Every well read man will tell you that the best gift that his mom or dad ever bought for him at Grade Seven was the classic novel ‘Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ and ‘Huckleberry Finn’ by Mark Twain or R.L. Stevenson’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’, and not that bicycle or trip to Zanzibar. And even when he grows up he will have under his hat the most of the formidable authors. How about his language articulation? That is for sure, for knowledge is garnered from all sorts of reading. In my class, I had this young girl who seemed to have every answer to every question. No doubt that her aptitude for language was excellent though math still presented a trifle problem for her. Anyway, two important facts were to her advantage. One, she was 'literary' exposed in that she had read more story books, comics than the rest of the class put together, and secondly, that both her parents are teachers meaning that she was exposed to early reading habits. One thing is for sure, it does not matter whether one is a teacher or not for so long as you have been to school, you underestimate the significance of enhancing your kids reading habits to their detriment. What I am saying here is that the only link, apart from the electronic entertainment (which I discourage) to the outer world for children is their contact with written word. It breaks my heart to see that these days there are no library lessons like there used to be in those olden days. Ends Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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