“Between the ages of nine and fourteen, I was reading up to three or four books per week. This was mainly because my parents finally broke down and bought a television, and the rule was that I had to read a full book for every half hour that I watched it. The second rule was that I had to mute all the commercials so I would not be brainwashed into wanting products that I didn’t need.
When I started reading nothing but Sweet Valley High and The Baby-sitters Club, my parents decided that sugary teenage books didn’t count and that I had to read a literary “classic” for every half hour of television. My mom created elaborate (and oddly draconian) charts for my brother and me to keep track of all this. All I know is that suddenly I was plowing through Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte as fast as I could—just so I could watch a measly hour of Saturday morning cartoons.”
from her memoir
Someday My Prince will Come
14 comments:
Wow! At first I thought it was you, Maggie, and not an except from a book.
Obviously she's a writer, but is she still a reader?
Ew, Joy, I don't know yet. I just started this jewel and read this on page 32. I'm currently on 36 and the television has sucked me in. I need to follow her mom's rule. ;D
Ha, I think it's a great idea! Only maybe I'd make it a little less strict; like two hours of reading for every half hour tv, or fifty pages for twenty minutes of tv...
I think it's a little harsh too, Jeane. I would hate to think this has negative repercussions.
How about 30 pages for 30 minutes and 50 for an hour show minus the ads? ;)
I like the page/minute of tv idea. I look forward to your final review, Maggie.
I am surprised that she still wants to read or write.
That's too much parental control.
That is hilarious! Sweet Valley High and The Baby-sitters Club...sigh...it takes me back. :)
And I love the idea of muting the commercials.
I'm all for encouraging children to read, but this is pushing it a bit too far :P
Mary, it's a hoot so far. ;)
What's funny, WW100, is her parents are extremely laisse fare about everything else. Her Christmas holidays as a youth were spent at a clothing optional hot springs in Colorado with her Hippie parents and younger brother. :)
We mute the ads now, Tiffany. We started a couple of years ago because they are SO LOUD!
It is harsh Nymeth, but she still likes to read as an adult. Pshew! ;)
I'm all for reading instead of tv, but this sounds a bit harsh. I hope she enjoys reading as an adult. My mom couldn't get my nose out of a book! Of course, she's as big of a reader as I am, so she didn't nag too much about helping out around the house if I was engrossed in a book. At least not the first couple of times I said, "I'm almost finished with this chapter!" ;)
Sometimes I wish I had done something like this with my own children. They weren't big on television -- they would rather be outside playing. They loved reading when they were young, but got away from it after middle school, and I really think a great deal of the decline can be blamed on the forced reading in school (the type involving tests and points and numbers). Schools often stress quantity over quality and the kids lose the desire to read. I'm not blaming teacher or school librarians -- they must teach what they're told. Sometimes, I just wonder if we're doing our children more harm than good in approaching reading in that manner.
Les, I think parents who read in front of their children are the ultimate commercials. Children love to mimic their parents and will view reading as a family activity. Your mom gave you a wonderful gift. :)
Ah, Lisa, sounds like your kids were pressured into the Accelerated Reader program. I'm not in favor of this program. It doesn't allow for "just for fun" reading.
If it helps, I hated reading as tween/teen. I would spend all day outside if I could. It wasn't until I married a reader that I found books entertaining. :)
This sounds like a very interesting book. I would be curious if it would lead her to dislike reading books since she was more or less forced to read them to get a reward?
April, to be fair, she had to go years without a television. The TV came in the hippie household in her tween years and she already saw reading as entertainment. I'm finding, as she mentions books, she is still enjoying the activity. She also mentions she had only two choices for videos: Hair:the Musical and My Fair Lady. :D
Post a Comment