sacha chua :: tech evangelist, connector, geek :: 2007.04.08:

I wish I could figure out how to help J fall in love with books too. If she does, then new worlds will be open to her, and no classroom or teacher can limit her. What was that magical piece?

 With children (is J a child?) this is easy: read to them.  And turn off the TV.

I have four children: 10, 8, 6, and 2.  Each of them loves reading.  Different degrees, to be sure, but they love reading.  My 10-year-old just missed lunch because she was so engrossed in what she was reading.  I was amused at lunch to hear my 2-year-old ask the 6-year-old to read to her.  It seems to be one of her favorite activities, "reading" through books herself and asking family members to read to her.

Of course, dvfmama  and I both read a lot.  And she takes them to the library quite a bit.

(I readily admit that we could just be a family of escapists.)

But what if J is your friend or your younger sister?  There might not be much you can do.  Turning off the TV, discussing things you've read, expanding the horizons that way opens up the awareness that there is so much there.