Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Instilling the Love of Reading ... No Matter What.



I read to Isaac every day. We have loads of books and I am always scouting for more (usually at thrift stores). I love to read him classic stuff of the fairy tale variety --- his favorite being Jack and the Beanstalk. I tend to be pretty particular about the books that enter our home --- they have to have some "meat" to them --- some depth --- some inspiration, etc --- or they don't get bought or borrowed.



But what could I do when Isaac won "The Backyardigans Hide and Go Boo" from his local library for completing his summer reading list? He loves it. Its what Mama calls "crap"... but he thinks it is marvelous. I tell you what you do ... you give in to it ... because he is reading (or trying to) ... and you just have to let go and allow him to explore what he loves. That's what you do. Hard as it may be --- and as much as I may want to eventually see "The Wind in the Willows" between his fingers --- I may have to settle for "Junie B. Jones". And I know for sure that if I suggest that "The Wind in the Willows" is a better book --- it will never get read. So, The Backyardigans it is --- for now --- until it mysteriously disappears :)

Enjoy your reading!
Love,
Jodi

6 comments:

Kelly said...

amen, mama! reading is an awesome thing right! even if it is backyardigans ;)
xo

mo said...

You are right- it is good to just have him with a book in his hands. When my now 10 year old son was learning to read he brought home a book on all the Pokemon characters from the library. Needless to say it was not my first choice. But he wanted so badly to know about all the pictures that we laugh now that Pokemon taught him to read. Now he reads all kinds of wonderful books so the "crap" gets somewhat outgrown.

mommyknows said...

He is so beautiful, I mean handsome!

I don't like books etc. with a TV character theme, but like you I give in.

My oldest didn't read until she found the goosebumps series. I was horrified and thankful all at the same time. They mature and when they do their horizons broaden.

Sam, my nine year old devours Pokemon books. I hate the genre, love that he reads to beat heck.

Kim xo

Tara Broman said...

So true. We, parents, have to pick and choose our "battles".

Jodi Renshaw said...

Thank you WoodspriteMama, Mo, Mommyknows & Tara.

Mo & MK - I hope to heaven that Isaac stays clear of Pokemon. But yes, I agree ... at least he would be reading. And as Tara said ... I need to choose my battles wisely.

Thank you all for reading and sharing :)

Love,
Jodi

Mandie said...

I swore that I would never let my kids read the Captain Underpants books. But, sometimes, when you swear you'd never do something it comes back to bite you in the butt. Two years ago when my now 9 year old was just transitioning to chapter books I couldn't get him to finish a book for anything. Nothing held his attention long enough to get past the first couple chapters...until he discovered Captain Underpants. He devoured the entire series and hasn't stopped reading since. He is now reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and the Marguerite Henry books. Every now and again he'll read I book I wish he wouldn't, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but ultimately I'm just glad he's reading and leave him alone.