Warning to all parents!
Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 07:33PM Parents, let me give you some advice you need to act on now! If you wait too long, you will suffer.
Do not, under any circumstance, make readers out of your children. Here is the sad, but true story of the mistake I made. Let it be a warning to you....
I found my daughter, even as an infant, loved to be read to. Bedtime stories, middle of the day stories, stories read by grandparents - you name it, she ate it up. Cranky day - a little Scrawny Tawny Lion made things OK.
She started getting books as gifts. The ones she loved the most she saved. Why did I not see this early on?
She read before she started school and continued to read voraciously throughout school. I am ashamed to say, I encouraged this, insisting she have a book to read when we traveled. I was even proud of her high reading scores and interest she showed in books. And of course, she continued to collect more books.
When she started college, I should have realized, there was a problem. Her books came with her. Just a few boxes, but, hey, doesn't everyone have a few favorite books to keep around? I missed so many warning signs!
As college progressed, the book collecting habit grew worse. Each move to a new dorm room or apartment included a growing number of book boxes. Even if they weren't labeled you could tell them from the others - even the small ones were heavy as gold bullion. (And I don't remember her staying in any place that fewer than three flights of stairs to climb!)
In college, my daughter met a man who shared her obsession - another book collector. And now there are two grandchildren who seem to adding to the family book collection. OK, OK, I will admit that I've even give the grandsons a book or two, but come on!
As a father who spent the last couple days helping his daughter and her family move, I have to warn all parents to take action before it is too late. Turn your kids onto video games, e-books, even television watching. If you don't each move your children make means a visit to the chiropractors.
I am grateful that my beautiful daughter has never broken my heart.
But she has sure done some damage to my back!
Reader Comments (12)
You have read "The problem with Pulcifer" by Florence Parry Heide to your daughter, right?
Hi Kathy,
Afraid not. Of course for the last 32 years, I've not done much reading to her.
I may have to look for the book for the grandsons though.
Thanks!
Doug
This malady appears as bad as doing your homework. What horrors can result!
As someone who is a horrifyingly prolific book collector, who also took much criticism when a friend had to help move boxes of books out of the garage and basement to the second level of the house during the Red River Flood of 2009, and for whom there will never be enough bookshelves, I love the fact that your daughter and her husband have a similar "problem."
By the way, I now I hire people to help me move to avoid the criticism and threats that precious book boxes will randomly drop out of the backs of friend and family pick-up trucks.
MM
My problem is that many of the books I gave my kids are still here! "Leave them at Mom's place so she can read them to the grandkids." It works. They still love Mike Mulligan.
I can relate---and I just ruthlessly (agonizingly) purged about 10 boxes of books from my shelves. I try to look at it as sharing the (intellectual) wealth....
This is great! I can still remember my dad helping me move book boxes: "What IS IN THIS THING? LEAD?!?"
I'd love to borrow this for our school newsletter, but I'm a little afraid that some parents will think it's serious and we'll get cranky phone calls. Not that I mind the cranky calls, but HOW do you respond to them without sounding like a smart a**?
I have been freed from this same problem since buying a Kindle. The Rubbermaid tubs in the garage are empty, my nightstand no longer looks like a bookstore and my shelves are filled with photo albums. I still buy hard copy books for my 5 year old, but we are starting to read a chapter book on my Kindle so he I will not have to tote boxes of books every time he moves.
Hi Paul,
Regretfully, my daughter did her homework too. I did not have this problem with her brother!
Doug
Hi Mary,
Your email confirms my long-term suspicion that you are a closet librarian!
Doug
Hi Mary Kay,
Same in our house - toys too. I thought the problem Woody and Buzz had in Toy Story 3 was easily solved by just having them reappear when the grandchildren visited.
Doug
Hi Jeri,
At least once a year, I "weed" my personal collection. About half go to the used book store where I get credits on future acquisitions; the other half go to the public library for their annual book sale. I can't say that I've missed a single title in the 10 years or so I've been doing this. Expect once I think I bought back one of my own books from the used book store!
Happy packing,
Doug
Hi Rebbecca,
I've found that satire is not a good communication tool with parents (or administrators.) I'd err on the side of dullness!
Doug
Hi Paula,
I expect your family is the model of the future. I'd suggest that you start a Shelfari-type account for your kids to help them remember their favorites and to supplement their e-books with trips to the library for print books. And you "need" and iPad for picture books! ;-)
Doug
Dad, you'll appreciate the Facebook post by a friend who helped us unload here in Kansas.
"[We] came together to move their furniture, books, clothes, books, StarWars toys, books, appliances and books into their new home."
Love,
Carrie
You know, of course, I would be deeply disappointed if you weren't a book collector of some sort.
Hope you are settling in and found your remotes.
Love,
Dad
Awww...That's so nice of you Doug. I think your daughter is great too. I wouldn't mind my daughter becoming a bibliophile like me. LOL!