Do you read or look at the books your kids read?

[miriama59]

I know that a lot of us watch what we let our kids see on TV, the NEt, the movies, etc. But what about the books they read?

I just got back from my teenage daughter's open house and borrowed a book from the teacher in her Com Arts class. They have been studying the holocaust and they finished this book a couple of weeks ago. Now I read Diary of Anne Frank with her and we watched the old movie also. I use videos and books to teach her things that I think that the school has not been covering or not as extensively as I would like.

This book is called "Night" by Elie Wiesel. It is about the years he spent in different concentration camps and how surviving this may have been one of the hardest things that he had ever done, how you never forget what you saw, etc. I have sat and read half of it tonight and had to put it down and get my mind on other matters. It's only about 100 pages. It is one of the most horrifying and sad books that I have ever read. I am not unhappy that Sarah read this, I am surprised that she did not discuss this with me. I don't think I will ever be quite the same after reading this book. I can't imagine that it did not have some strong effect on her as well.

I am ashamed that I had not paid as much attention to her when she was reading this, that I did not read it too. I think that parents should read these books with their kids.

I was curious if others had ever had this experience. I also have to admit to needing to post for some human contact as everybody is asleep and now I don't know if I can sleep. I can hardly wait to talk to Sarah after school tomorrow.

[sweetcindy]

Sounds like a very powerful book...I would like to read it and discuss it with my kids too. Yes, I do discuss a lot of what they read and what I read...I am a bookworm and both of my kids picked up on that as well. My girl, age 7, we share a book each night or a chapter from a longer book. My son, 13, he reads on his own and always talks about it...he read "A Child Called It"...and he was full of questions about it...it was very moving and horrifying to us as well. Lately though...my son has been "reading" some...well...I am gonna post a new subject about that...
Last time we went to the bookstore, a Mom and 2 kids were clamoring over the Harry Potter display...my girl went over and picked one up...OH NOOOOOO....I put it back and told her YOU are not allowed to read that junk! Well the Mom looked quite embarassed because she was buying her kids the Harry Potter stuff. My girl said ok...and we went on to find her something more appropriate.
I think you have to watch what your kids are reading...and I think it is so important to discuss it with them.
Great topic!

[aprilgail]

>>OH NOOOOOO....I put it back and told her YOU are not allowed to read that junk! Well the Mom looked quite embarassed because she was buying her kids the Harry Potter stuff>>

I have read all the books in the harry potter series as have my godkids and we all love those books!!! They hold the kids attention as well as adults and are very well written!

[sweetcindy]

They may be well written but I don't feel that they are a good influence on my kids so I don't allow them.
To each his own...

[miriama59]

Hmmmm. Cindy, I think you should read this book. I would like to discuss his thoughts on religion afterwards. Make sure that you know I am saying this honestly and sincerely since it is hard to tell on the Net. Elie was VERY religious when this started and I guess the question is how do you even consider keeping your faith after this? I think it is one thing when we go thru a serious health issue like you or a marriage of abuse and **** like me, BUT when you watch babies burn, millions of people are killed, your 7 year old sister, mother, etc. killed--it took him years to be able to write this story. I plan on finding "Day" afterwards to see if he does regain his faith and to see how he even begins to face life. The book I am reading ends with his release.

Just for the record, I have always had an influence on the books she has read, lots of classics, "To Kill A MOckingbird", "Lord of the Flies", "All Quiet On The Western Front" etc. We discuss them afterwards and I have always been able to say that I had read them first. This one slipped past me.

[sweetcindy]

Oh, yes...faith when it makes no sense...
I was just sent the most beautiful song from Dee here and it was inspired by this inscription found on the wall of a concentration camp...

I believe in the sun even when it is not shining
I believe in love even when I feel it not
I believe in God even when He is silent

Whoever wrote that must have seen the very same evil things as anyone else who went through that horrible ordeal. I wish I could say I would too have the same faith as that person did...I can't say for sure...I am sure I would be mad at God...and even in my own life I have been mad at him too.
I just think of Job and how he still praised God in the very worst of circumstances. I never quite understood how we are supposed to be thankful for the hardships. I do now. I thank God for me having the trial of facing death because it allowed me to appreciate life. It brought me closer to Him...and after all, that is all that matters anyhow. I hope I am making sense.
I do want to read the book...it sounds like a very human expression of pain and a struggle to understand why things do happen.
That also reminds me of Ecclesiastes...a book where Solomon asks all the very same questions we all do...and comes to the conclusion that man's all is to love God and serve Him because every good or bad thing will be judged. Life is not fair...and Ecclesiastes pretty much tries to express that.

Thank you for this topic...it most definitely worth my time to read that book!

Cindy

[miriama59]

Lots to think of, for sure. I will finish it up today. Let me know if you read it and then what you think. I love to share reading experiences with others, being a bit of a bookworm myself. I have heard the words you mentioned in your post before. BTW, here is Elie's take of being in the concentration camp:

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky.

Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.

Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.

[sweetcindy]

Oh, that is really powerful...too sad for words...sounds like a must read to me...will let you know after I read it.
Thank you!

[TeresaD90]

I have to admit that both my son, who is 10, and I have read all the Harry Potter books. I agree that they are very well written and the not only appealed to my son's imagination but to mine as well.
I thinks parents should be aware of what their children are reading so they can deal with ideas a book addresses.
I also agree to each their own, but I'm amazed that my son who couldn't be conjoled, bribed, or threatened to read a book, suddenly read almost (or over) 2000 pages because he wanted to! Since that time he has started reading mysteries by Mary Downing Hahn, Piers Anthony, and others. I'm grateful to the Harry Potter books for helping my son see the joys of reading. Period.

P.S. We're both eagerly awaiting the Harry Potter V book.

[ftmom]

In response to the original question, my children cant read as of yet, so I must be the one to read their books. I guess when that time comes, we will have to see.

THe concentration camp book sounds interesting, As I have seen the remains of the camp at Buchenwald Germany, and the display the germans have put on to document the horrors of that camp.

I have also been to the Holocaust Memorial in Washignton DC.

In German class in High school, as a class assignment we had to see schindlers list at the theatre, theis was after I had been to germany, and was prepared for the movie.

I guess Ill go check out that book now....

[miriama59]

I had a nephew who could not read very well. I used to tell his mom to buy him magazines like sports illustrated for kids, or books about athletes, or ANYTHIING (just about) as long as it interested him and he would read it. I have always thought that if you can instill the joy of reading in a child, half the battle is won. They will do better in school, etc.

I have not read the Harry Potter books. I would love to and from what I have seen about them, they look wonderful. I grew up reading a variety of books, and remember that I liked books about Merlin, the Hobbit series, as well as several other genres. And I know that it did not turn me into a bad person to learn about mysticism--it just fostered my imagination. I think that kids need that, to learn to think for themselves, to dream, to escape sometimes.

[cashhound]

Oh yeah Kriss, I agree. Anything to get their interest going. Too many times kids are forced to read boring lit in school. I mean, can high schoolers really understand or enjoy Shakespeare? Especially when they haven't fostered a love of reading to begin with.

I think it's especially important to start kids young, getting them to enjoy reading. It seems to me that so many kids now are more involved in video games, tv, and movies. They want somebody else's interpretation of events. Reading brings out our imagination, allowing us to feel, even temporarily, the feelings of the writer. And we each bring our own experiences into the reading.

Someone who hasn't experienced any horrors in their life would have a difficult time relating to the author of "Night" I think. Those of us who have had our faith tested can relate to him and his work.

And, Cindy...I really do respect your decision to not allow your kids to read Harry Potter, but maybe you could read one yourself? Maybe it isn't as bad as you think. I don't know because I haven't read any myself. I just think with all of the hype over him, maybe some people are getting a bad impression of his work. Myself, I have always enjoyed fantasy and horror novels...but then I'm a rollercoaster freak too...lol. And if you have already read his stuff...ignore me...hahahaha.

[bassmount]

Originally posted by miriama59
I know that a lot of us watch what we let our kids see on TV, the NEt, the movies, etc. But what about the books they read?

I just got back from my teenage daughter's open house and borrowed a book from the teacher in her Com Arts class. They have been studying the holocaust and they finished this book a couple of weeks ago. Now I read Diary of Anne Frank with her and we watched the old movie also. I use videos and books to teach her things that I think that the school has not been covering or not as extensively as I would like.

This book is called "Night" by Elie Wiesel. It is about the years he spent in different concentration camps and how surviving this may have been one of the hardest things that he had ever done, how you never forget what you saw, etc. I have sat and read half of it tonight and had to put it down and get my mind on other matters. It's only about 100 pages. It is one of the most horrifying and sad books that I have ever read. I am not unhappy that Sarah read this, I am surprised that she did not discuss this with me. I don't think I will ever be quite the same after reading this book. I can't imagine that it did not have some strong effect on her as well.

I am ashamed that I had not paid as much attention to her when she was reading this, that I did not read it too. I think that parents should read these books with their kids.

I was curious if others had ever had this experience. I also have to admit to needing to post for some human contact as everybody is asleep and now I don't know if I can sleep. I can hardly wait to talk to Sarah after school tomorrow.

Kriss,
I wonder why the teacher chose this book instead of Schindler's list? I believe that it was also written by Elie Wiesel or adapted from some of his work. Was there something in it that maybe she wanted to point out? If I am not mistaken Elie was one of those saved by Schindler. As for looking at the books my kids read, yes, I do look over them. I have read all 4 Harry Potters before my son got to read them and I do that with all of his books. I have to admit I really got into Harry Potter, so I did more than just skim them. LOL! I do find that most educators want books to be read for a point or purpose. Maybe you could let the teacher know you won't ever be the same and ask why it was asigned. BUT be sure to let her know, it is just for you personally. She may have wanted the children to feel the same way. AND by all means sit down with Sarah and talk about it! No harm in talking with either one, ya know.

[miriama59]

Becky, I like Schindler's List. No, it is not written by Elie Wiesel, but by Thomas Keneally. To me it is a story of a hero who saved a lot of people.

But Night is the daily story of one man surviving the camps. Actually, he was 15 and lied, saying he was 18 to survive. It is from his viewpoint therefore an autobiography rather than a biography. I have discovered there is a trilogy: night, day and the accident.

I think the teacher chose this and Anne Frank's story because they were teenagers. Imagine sitting in a classroom and discovering these horrors that were suffered by someone your own age. I think it hits closer to home.

I do plan on talking to the teacher about it. I talked to Sarah about it and I am a little disturbed that it didn't have as much impact as I would have liked. But she does plan on reading the rest of the trilogy with me.


AND I guess I should be checking out those Harry Potter books. I hope the local library has them. Thanks.

[bassmount]

Thanks for correcting me! I know I had heard the name before and still can't place it, maybe it was in my Critical Thinking class. As for it not having the same or a similar impact on Sarah, it could be because of the world we live in. To me it would probably have the same effect as you, but unfortunatly our children are growing up in a much more violent world than what we did. Murder is everywhere around them. It is not as shocking to them as it was to us as teenagers. I mean we have kids killing kids, to us that would have been shocking in itself, but after the first 5 or 10 to our teenagers, it is just another day. Gangs are more prevelant, rape and so many other things that we would have been sick to our stomachs over. You know what I mean? I am haveing a bit of trouble getting my thought out today! LOL Any way, it may be that unfortunatly our children are becomeing desensitized to the things we saw as horrific. I think for the most part, they know it is wrong, they wouldn't do it, they wouldn't be involved in it, but eh' It's just another day in the life of the world. It's a sad state when kids are killing kids because of intolerance. I feel like I am reading the 60s civil rights killings all over again and a world that does not learn from it's mistakes is doomed to repeat them. That is why I think that you and Bill are doing the right thing in discussing issues with y'alls kids. We all need to do this. Oh my, I seem to be on my soap box again and I need to get down now! LOL