GENERATION NEXT AND THE READING HABIT
" I love to read, but my child doesn't!" Sound familiar?
 Well,
you need not be the one saying it anymore. I've been interacting
with children for five years now, having worked in a school
library and freelance, conducting workshops in reading enrichment
- and I have realized that all it takes is a few inputs from
you, to get your child interested.
 Here
goes then: Give your child a model to imitate. You probably
read while the child is asleep, or in school, but that way your
child doesn't see you and can't emulate you. So, be seen
holding a book, reading it, getting excited about it. Quote
passages or narrate incidents to your child or spouse.
 Spend
some time reading with your child. A good rule of thumb is -
at least fifteen minutes a day, five times a week, spent exclusively
reading and talking about what's in the book. Clarify values,
non-judgmentally as far as possible. Like: Loyalty v/s.
honesty: the character saw his best friend cheat - should
he tell teacher? You'll be surprised at the insights your
youngster comes out with, given half a chance.
 If
you can, take your child to bookshops. Give him/her a budget,
discuss the choice of books. I've seen kids as young as six
understand what a budget is, and stick to it. It's best not
to buy expensive books for your children - you shouldn't be
saying, "Be careful with that book!" so often that your child
gets put off books completely. I've got scribbles or food stains
on all my first books, and today I bristle if anyone so much
as dog-ears a book. A kid who loves books can be taught how
to care for them at a later stage.
 For
absolute non-readers, start with non-fiction. He likes cricket?
Fine. There are several books and magazines on the game and
the players. Usually, non-readers consider reading 'stories'
a waste of time. So hook them with something that's not a
waste of time, according to them.
 Actually,
a subscription to any magazine in the child's name gives the
child a feeling of receiving something that's "mine" in the
mail, and that can just turn the key!
Making the child feel the book is "mine" really helps. A rubber-stamp
with "LIBRARY OF PRANAV" is a conversation piece! And giving
books as presents/prizes/return gifts during parties is a good
way to get the peer group interested as well.
Parents, the reading habit is not dying out. I've seen nine-year-olds
fighting over a copy of "Black Beauty", and a two-year-old sleeping
with her favourite book under the pillow. All it takes is a
little tap in the right direction, from you
.
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