Kidlit Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 We go to the library every week, and I allow my girls (ages 4 and 2) to pick out a couple of books on their own. It never fails that my four year old gravitates toward the Dora, Bob the Builder, etc. books, which is precisely why I limit the number they get to pick. My girls don't even watch network t.v.; we very occasionally will check out a Dora or Bob video or DVD from the library (maybe 2 times a month). Otherwise, they might get to watch a children's church/Bible songs or Miss Pattycake video a few times a week (i.e. while I shower). We have a number of Disney Princess books at home, mostly given to us as gifts. How do I limit this (for my own sanity, if nothing else) without being a mean ogre mommy? To clarify, we do a lot of reading, and because my graduate degree is in library science, I am already fairly knowledgable about what is considered quality children's literature. We read lots of pictures books and a chapter or so out of a longer book just about every day. However, there's always some "twaddle" mixed in there. What do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 I let my girls pick and read what the want from the library. I just make sure to include selections that *I* want them to read. I try not to limit what they pick. At 7 they are now much more discerning library patrons. They know the Barbie on Skates book isn't high quality literature, but it is a fun diversion. As long as they aren't spending all their time on these types of books to the exclusion of some higher quality literature I don't sweat it. I know that when I got to the library I get all sorts of stuff...a biography of Elvis, a book on gardening, a Clive Cussler book, a self-help book, a "true" classic and a Danielle Steele book on tape. To me, that is the beauty of the library. I get to try out all types of genre and see what catches my fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 I probably wouldn't worry about it--if you're prioritizing the quality literature in your time reading to them, they'll develop a taste for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 Okay, so maybe all I really need is for someone to hold my hand and tell me that it's okay for them to enjoy a little bit of "candy" instead of always having elaborate, six-course meals!:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in Toronto Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 I don't think that a limited amount of twaddle is a bad thing. It's sort of like candy...in moderation, it's enjoyable and a nice diversion. But you can't be healthy on a constant diet of it. It seems to me that you've set appropriate limits and I'm not sure why you want to change it. And a cautionary tale (this is an anecdote, and of course YMMV): my mother's best friend has a graduate degree in library science. She severely limited her daughters' reading....no Nancy Drew, etc. Neither of her well-educated daughters (one PhD and one RN) read for pleasure. My sister and I (also well-educated: MD and MSc) had a more permissive structure and both of us read like fiends today. Janet in Toronto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Sure! A little candy never hurt anyone! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Okay, so maybe all I really need is for someone to hold my hand and tell me that it's okay for them to enjoy a little bit of "candy" instead of always having elaborate, six-course meals!:tongue_smilie: MMMMmmmmm....candy :001_smile:. They'll be fine. I have one that loves the idea of twaddle, but when it comes down to it the only books he finishes are the higher quality ones. So I let him check out his twaddle, and I hunt for good books that I think will catch his fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in MS Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Just choose a stack of books yourself based on what you think they'll like. When you get home, ask them which one they want you to read. That way, you will both get to have a choice in the matter. Paula (Really, they're just choosing out of familiarity.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 Yes, I, too, have always been of the opinion that children who read (or are read to) a lot will recognize and appreciate the difference between quality and twaddle. I don't want to be too limiting, but I'm still adjusting to the whole idea of homeschooling, so I'm just a little nervous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 There was a thread on here not too long ago in which folks confessed which classics they secretly disliked. It was a fun thread to read because someone's least favorite book was invariably top of someone else's list of most cherished titles. I think having access to a wide range of reading materials helps us develop a sense of taste so that we don't become cookie cutter readers, or end up totally turned off by books. Twaddle may not add much to your child's life, but eventually she will tire of predictable plots and choppy sentence structure. I subscribe to pretty much the same philosophy for both food and books/other media exposure: it's better to focus on getting the good stuff in than to fixate on keeping the bad stuff out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in AZ Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Okay, so maybe all I really need is for someone to hold my hand and tell me that it's okay for them to enjoy a little bit of "candy" instead of always having elaborate, six-course meals!:tongue_smilie: :seeya:Here...take my hand...you're doing great! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadaRabbit Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 We read lots of pictures books and a chapter or so out of a longer book just about every day. However, there's always some "twaddle" mixed in there. What do you do? The same. My kids are both fixated on the Warriors series of books and I love that they have found books that make them want to read. It's not classic literature, but it's not complete junk, either. These books have inspired other side interests as well. Anyway, we have reading times throughout our day; sometimes I choose what they read, other times it's free-choice reading. Bedtime reading is always free choice. Right now both kids have several books going: Warriors, Robin Hood, Making of a Knight, and various books on the moon and Pluto. I think it's great to encourage lots of reading, in a wide variety. Kids who are regularly exposed to good literature soon tire of twaddly junk, but sometimes they need to figure that out for themselves. DD was on a streak of Animal Ark books (a series) and after about 6 months straight of Animal Ark books, she finally said, "they're all the same." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 For a while I had a system that worked well for us. Then we stopped going to the library because it was out of our way, and when that 'problem' got fixed, I forgot about my system.. Anyway, it worked when we used it. The kids could choose anything they like provided that the books follow these criteria: At least 1 must be a biography. At least 1 must be science-related. At least 1 must be in English (their second language) Yes this one could be twaddle if they wished. At least 1 is of their own choosing altogether. I think I'm missing a category, because we always ended up with five books, but I only list four. The system worked for us because the kids were indeed free to choose which book. The biography section is pretty huge and has all reading levels in it. Same for sciences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 In the beginning of WTM is a short section on what to check out at the library. We've adapted this and have followed it for the past 6 years with great success. I do not limit the items to books - magazines are okay, journals, Cliff's Notes, plays, pamphlets, practical books from the adult section, DVDs, anything goes if they can find and justify "it". We have ordered tons through inter and intra library loan too! Below is our guide. From your chosen WTM sequence for history and science choose a MINIMUM of: 1 biography 1 history 1 lit or poetry book from the era 1 science 1 art, architecture, sculpture, technique or book on an artist 1 music book, CD, or book on a composer 1 practical arts book (knitting, car repair, etc.) 1 book of your choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 ... after about 6 months straight of Animal Ark books, she finally said, "they're all the same." I came to this conclusion with Jane Austin as well... The heroine always stumbles and hurts her ankle... Who rescues her? But of course! The man she currently cannot have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1MoreThought Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Good question. I hope to hear how other people manage this, too! I try to read quality books to my girls but when they choose from the library they inevitably choose titles from the Halloween section no matter the time of year! And some of these are so poorly written it hurts to read them aloud. So far, I've just been sticking them back into the "return to library" bag the minute I think I can get away with it. I want to encourage my kids to use the library, but it can be painful! As far as our own book collection, I do try to weed out twaddle we've picked up or been given. We have enough books around here that they often don't even notice it's missing. Jeanette 1MoreThought on our homeschool adventure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caraway Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Library stuff I don't worry about too much. I just try to add in LOTS that are good. Worst case it is gone in two weeks. Books that are given to us - those sometimes "disappear". :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 This is a great question for those of us with somewhat younger children! I can see this train coming down the track for us. My oldest is 3.5 and is just beginning to have an idea of wanting a particular book when we go to the library. Most often it's whatever is lying around, or nearest to her, or with a bright picture on the cover. There is absolutely NO discernment going on at this point, nor do I expect there to be. Sometimes I'll say OK to the book she wants, but only if it's something I might (personally) have chosen myself. I'm wondering what I'll do inside myself to allow her to perhaps choose a so-so or terrible book, just to experience the difference between that (twaddle) and what we usually (attempt to) bring home. I do know that early and ongoing exposure to the purest, best, and most beautiful forms is a priority with me; so much so that I might even be tempted to "censor" art, music, literature, experiences, etc. for the sake of creating this sacred space. And I do consider it sacred, a trust that I am given by God for my children's sake. The other day we were in a store and my daughter commented on the beautiful music coming from the speakers overhead. "I like this beautiful music, Mommy." I was patting myself on the back for having instilled a love of the best things into my little one, when she brought me back down to earth by loudly shouting, "Hey, it's coming out of the ceiling! How did they get that music in the ceiling?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I always let my son pick what he wants. I pick the school stuff, so I know he's getting good-quality stuff there. I'm a voracious reader and as I child I was allowed to read, quite literally, anything. I read all sorts of books...from ones that could be considered twaddle, to ones that could be considered classics. I think it helped me develop into the reader I've become today (my husband says the same). As a result, I choose not to limit what my children are allowed to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I've never limited the twaddle and frankly, been surprised at times with the imaginative play and such that's come from it. But my experience has always been that they move on and are at least as eager to embrace the better quality stuff. Remember, the person who can best recognize horse pucky is the person who mucks out stalls all day. Let them muck stalls for awhile. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 4, 2008 Author Share Posted September 4, 2008 I've never limited the twaddle and frankly, been surprised at times with the imaginative play and such that's come from it. But my experience has always been that they move on and are at least as eager to embrace the better quality stuff. Remember, the person who can best recognize horse pucky is the person who mucks out stalls all day. Let them muck stalls for awhile. :D Love this! And I suppose that's probably true. I suppose I was just having one of my 1000 daily moments of panic that I'm going to ruin my children in some way.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzannah Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I think limiting the number of cartoon-y books is a good idea, but a little twaddle, like a little candy, is good for the soul. But at 4 your DD probably doesn't have the experience or discernment to evaluate different types of children's books. That responsibility will fall to you for at least a few more years. You might try saying on your way to the library "Oooh, let's see if we can find some books about....butterflies!" (or castles or cooking or whatever her interest is at the time.) This might get her excited about the search. Blessings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I came to this conclusion with Jane Austin as well... The heroine always stumbles and hurts her ankle... Who rescues her? But of course! The man she currently cannot have... GASP!! Wash your mouth out young lady!! :lol: You are probably right, but I love them all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funschooler5 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I let my kids pick out whatever they want to read, and I never really force them to read anything they don't want to. When I do suggest a book I say "Hey, this looks like something you might like" and leave it at that. Usually they'll check it out. Most of the time they'll read it. But whenever I "assign" reading it turns it into a chore. Yes, sometimes we leave the library with Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes books, but they also read a lot of good quality fiction and non-fiction at home. They also check out a lot of audio books. Sometimes they'll go through phases where it seems like they are reading only "twaddle" (like the time they found my old Archie comic book collection and read every single one) but I don't think that they're wasting their time. My son's love of comic books has sparked an interest in drawing and writing his own comics, which is great because he's getting extra writing practice on his own (which he needs). I've also noticed how much my kids' vocabularies have expanded. I don't think their love of twaddle has dampened their love of "real" books at all. My daughter reads at least five books a day, mostly non-fiction, but also novels. My son actually started reading short novels after a long phase of reading Garfield books. Interestingly, neither one of my older kids have ever gotten into any of the formula series fiction (Saddle Club, Goosebumps, etc.) although they do enjoy the Andrew Lost series (which is in a different category in my opinion because they are learning about science). I actually prefer them to read Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes, etc. to the series fiction...I'm not sure why. I guess the series stuff seems more commercialized, (like those books that are based on TV shows and movies) and they are all written by ghostwriters. I'm glad they don't read those because I don't think I could hide my distaste for them! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 What do you do? When DS hit four, I stopped reading twaddle. If he wanted it, he had to read it for himself. Before that, I limited the number of times I'd read twaddle. I needed to so I could stay sane... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I hate the word "twaddle" . :tongue_smilie: My dd11 is allowed to choose her free reading stuff from whatever she wants - at the moment, she's all about Pokemon, so she's got her nose buried in a Pokemon novel each night... the other day, she asked for a Cat Warrior book in the...what's it called... "manga" ? style - some would probably call that "twaddle" ....I called it ZOMG did my kid just ask me to buy her a book? A BOOK? Not a Jonas Brothers CD, not blue nailpolish, a BOOK! Yay! :D My Reluctant Reader™ (5 years in the ps system sucked the interest right out of her) is coming around. I am *not* going to risk damaging that by shoving Tom Sawyer into her hands. Far as I'm concerned right now, she can read her Pokemon and Warriors "manga" until it's coming out of her ears. :) (note: we do cover some 'better quality literature' or whatever you want to call it during the school year, through read alouds ;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I don't know how to say this without seeming very controlling but I just don't allow it. I have a few early readers for my ds4 that features Thomas the Blue Engine but most of our books are twaddle free. At the library, no tv character books are allowed to be checked out. I did allow dd8 to read the first book of the Spiderwick Chronicles but I count that as science fiction. I do allow the classic versions of Curious George, Thomas the Train, Pippi Longstocking, Winnie-the-Pooh, Babar and Madeleine but not modern characterizations of the same characters. When movie remakes come out, I'm the one looking for the original version instead of being glad they 'remade' the movie. I am very against commercialism and I keep a tight rein on it as much as possible, I cannot stop the grands from buying toys for ds4 but I can control what we read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
materursa Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Ha - I just asked this same question on another board (the answers were similar). I think what gets me is that they seem to unhealthily crave this stuff over better books. Like my 3 yo will sit and listen the the Dora book she wants me to read 100x, but if I pick up something *I* think is beautiful and "quality" she will literally get up and walk away in the middle. :001_huh: I keep thinking if the twaddle was gone, that she'd at least *listen* to the good books because that's all there would be! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 What do I do? I read my kids tons of good books and trust that the "candy" books will be less appealing to them because they can compare it to the good stuff. I let my kids pick three books at the library each week. They can pick pretty much whatever they want (although I have vetoed things on occasion) on the understanding that I will read twaddle books to them at most once and, occasionally, not at all. My five year old son has a Spiderman graphic novel out of the library right now that I have no plans to read to him. I told him he can look at it on his own. When the kids are reading independently, I plan to do what I read about someone else here doing: each week the kids will pick one biography, one non-fiction book, one fiction book that I approve, and one "whatever" book. I read a lot of Sweet Valley High and Girls of Canby Hall kinds of books when I was a preteen and, although I wish I'd had more guidance in what I read, it didn't kill my love of reading or my ability to discern good literature. I won't let my kids read as much candy as I read but neither will I forbid it. As far as twaddle that you get as gifts, read the book a few times (if the kids even show any interest, and then make sure it gets "shelved" out of sight. Eventually, weed it out. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magistramom Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 GASP!! Wash your mouth out young lady!! :lol:You are probably right, but I love them all the same. Fear not... I've poured though books a number of times, and bought the whole movie series from PBS. I'm a great fan - just pointin' out the facts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieMonster Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I came to this conclusion with Jane Austin as well... The heroine always stumbles and hurts her ankle... Who rescues her? But of course! The man she currently cannot have... Elizabeth Bennet never stumbled and hurt her ankle. She did fall into a predicament, by way of her sister. Mr. Darcy did rescue her, but he was hers for the taking any time she'd have him (although she didn't realize it...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shukhov Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 The best way to get rid of or control twaddle, in the long run, is to get rid of it in our own lives. Generally, what we love they will too. Please don't think that I'm saying that you, HopeistheWord, watch or use twaddle. Not at all; I'm just laying down what I think is a sound principle that generally works in the long run. This principle works for everything we do in education. If I want my children to love Homer's *Iliad* then I should too. If I don't, then I should take advantage of that too: tell that I don't love the *Iliad* but ought to. if I want my child to be patient as they do their copy work then, by all means, do copy work with the child and show them how much you enjoy it. And if we don't then we know where our growth needs to happen! Also, what might be more important than the existence of twaddle in our homes is the manner in which we treat or discuss it when it shows up in our presence. I hope my considerations are helpful. It's been helpful to think about this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 4, 2008 Author Share Posted September 4, 2008 Thank you for all your thoughtful replies. I think that I am going to learn much more through homeschooling than my children ever will . . . :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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