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| Reading a book can take them to another world |
For those of us who grew up in the 70's, boredom came with the territory. The summer school holidays seemed truly endless. I'm sure we all irritated our parents beyond measure with the constant, buzzing drone of "but what can we do now?". The response I used to get was, generally, "go and read a book".
We were in Waterstones in Worcester the other day and it was a revelation for Caitlin who, already an excellent reader, is beginning to discover that reading a good book is far more enjoyable than playing with the acreage of over-priced plastic attached to the front of children's 'magazines' or the latest toy-du-jour which often barely survives the first 24 hours with my two's rigorous style of play.
I bet there are thousands of kids who could quote from all of the Harry Potter films but who have never picked up the actual books. This may be because their parents do not read to them of course, and with today's hectic work schedules for many, the bedtime story is an unfortunate casualty.
When I studied English Literature at University of Wales Swansea in the 80's (yes, that long ago), I remember we were told that you had to read a book at least 4 times before you could really start to understand its themes, its political and social context, the breadth and depth of its imagery. Novelists leave within their works a tantilising glimpse into the politics, history and psychology of the day.
When we read a novel we create the characters and interpret the events that happen to them in a way that has meaning for us. When we see the film, these decisions have largely been taken out of our hands. We miss the chance to process what has happened in our own lives against the backdrop of the story.
A book can change us in the way that a film can't.
That's why initiatives like World Book Day are so important. It is also why I hope that our bookshops survive. I suspect that many will pick up the book to see what it's like but then purchase from Amazon to save a few pounds. Sometimes though, the book you pick up is so compelling that you buy it there and then. It's an old fashioned sentiment possibly but much though I love my Kindle, there is nothing like a proper, crisp, hard-copy book.
It is also the reason why we lose our public libraries at our peril. They are fantastic free resources for cash- and patience-strapped parents where kids can spend hours colouring, reading, enjoying reading schemes and craft activities and hanging out with their friends.
Our kids today lurch from one form of stimulation to another - I should probably call it iStimulation. And yes, with no small degree of irony can we say that some of them are turning positively android.
Of course, dealing with bored children is one of the key tests of our parenting abilities, but it is surely impossible to spend every waking moment with an activity schedule, a list of local attractions and a bottomless purse.
You cannot force fun. You can create family togetherness. You can forge stronger bonds through shared experience but each of us needs that time to discover who we are, no matter what our age.
Let's redefine boredom. Let's call it "a chance to think unencumbered by unnecessary stimuli". A chance, in fact, to have your own thoughts and time to learn how to marshal them.
And one of the best ways to learn about life within a secure and comforting space is within the pages of a book.
What better gift to give your kids?
