Sometimes I can't get over how different my children are. I think I have raised them in a very similar way, but their habits, hobbies, likes and dislikes are often very different. My daughter could quite happily become a vegetarian and usually removes any large pieces of meat from her plate, whereas my son could live solely on meat and literally gnaws any spec of meat off any bone he can get his hands on. My son likes to have everything in straight lines (don't know where he got that from....) whereas my daughter is happy to live in a pigsty.
To my despair my daughter hates reading...... I used to read them a lot of picture books as children and I often take them to the bookshop and tell them I will buy them any book they want, but she refuses to even look. To my delight, my son has recently really taken an interest in reading and spends any rainy lunchtimes inside reading at school. Of course I would be happier if he was reading in English, but at this stage reading in Japanese is better than nothing. His latest discovery is the Narnia series and every day he takes great pleasure in telling me what has happened in the part he has just read. Today he finished The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and, as they finished school early, they got to watch the DVD this afternoon. Note my daughter's position behind the couch... one thing they both have in common is that they are scaredy pants when it comes to movies!
I know I can't force my daughter to read, but I really do hope that one day she discovers the pleasure of curling up with a hotwater bottle and a book - which is what I am off to do now!
My son also does not really like reading. I often wonder if this can be attribute to his bilingualism, but I don't think so. It is just his personality. He does really like comic books, however I can not write comic books on his school reading chart. grrr
ReplyDeleteIs that movie scary? My son (age ten) hates scary movies. I was planning to rent it for him as I did not think it was scary. (?)
I remember wondering - and still do wonder - why you two have turned out so differently in many ways too, while I always thought I was bringing you up in more or less the same way. However, at least you are both readers.
ReplyDeleteI had dreams of introducing Emily to so many exciting books too - but I don't think she is one to be steered in any direction but her own. Maybe one day she will meet a bookworm friend?
I love how your daughter is watching the movie- I *still* watch CSI that way! I love reading as does DH but at this stage we have one addicted to manga and one to riddle books. It's getting desperate!
ReplyDeleteAN I think it's possible that your daughter will develop an interest in reading, too.
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids myself yet, but it was the same with me and my brother.
My mom loves to read, like myself and my little brother (he is just in 2nd grade!) but my middle brother didn't liked it at all. As a little child he was looking at comicbooks (Donald duck ;D) but didn't even actually READ them. But when he was about 12(?) he read a book because his friend was recommended it to him (Eragon). He read it through in 2days! Just like the other volumes of it. He isn't still very picky about what he should read (he is 16 now) but if he finds something where he thinks he might like it, he enjoys reading and even can't put away the book until he finished it!
So I think, if it's time for her and if she finds the right story, she might also start a licking in reading ;)