Introducing Heinlein

[TTBRAHWTMG]

TY...and they are cool kids. I imagine most feel the same way about their own kids. Guess it just depends what you choose to dwell on...the really cool moments...the day to day regular stuff...or the really bs stuff that goes on too! I'm one of the sappy, cool moment cherishing kind of geeks, I guess!

As far as Heinlein and my daughter go, we talked a bit more later, and to summarize "They're okay, but I prefer my stuff!" Mostly Rowling and anything with wizards, dragons, princesses, magic...I'm just glad she's reading. She is voracious right now, and we have to pay attention to get her outside and active, and do homework, etc. or she'll just plop down and read from school until sleep. My 5 yr old just learned to read recently too...a little later than my older one...what a fun time that is!

 

[Liz Pf]

TT, I don't know how old your eldest daughter is ... my daughter is 11 and hooked on Tamora Pierce.

We know Tammy slightly IRL, and I think her books are excellent. They are "Young Adult" ranter than for children -- there's a bit of sex outside marriage (not graphic, and the girls make sure their anti-pregnancy charms are working, but still ...) and quite a few moral dilemmas. But I think they are great for any young woman beginning to think about "adult" issues.

Now if I can get my daughter to pick up real SF more often

--Liz

http://www.printfection.com/cartesianbear

 

[littlemissattitude]

She is voracious right now, and we have to pay attention to get her outside and active, and do homework, etc. or she'll just plop down and read from school until sleep.

Sounds like me when I was a kid. My mother was always yelling at me to "quit reading and go outside and do something." My answer was always, "But I am doing something. I'm reading." When she insisted, I'd generally take my book outside and find somewhere to read out there.

Even today, she sometimes looks at me like, "Are you reading again?"

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

We just celebrated her 11th on Good Friday. Someone just recently pointed out to me, indirectly, that in my arrogance I've been trying to reach out to my daughter by turning her on to what I like to read, when if I really wanted to reach out to her, I would instead try to immerse myself in what SHE likes to read. Seems logical to me, and looks like I have some expanding to do on my own reading...damn reading list is getting awefully long since I've joined Chronicles!!! Thanks for the tips!

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

missattitude: I struggle with this...don't like to complain about her reading, but I feel I have to help her find balance too. It will be much easier once soccer starts up again. In truth, I don't bug her about it much other than to get her out for the occasional run and to work through homework with her. (Actually as long as she is performing well in school, I don't even bug her about homework much!)

 

[littlemissattitude]

missattitude: I struggle with this...don't like to complain about her reading, but I feel I have to help her find balance too. It will be much easier once soccer starts up again. In truth, I don't bug her about it much other than to get her out for the occasional run and to work through homework with her. (Actually as long as she is performing well in school, I don't even bug her about homework much!)

A lot of the problem in my case was that I just didn't like getting out and playing with the other kids in the neighborhood. Half of them were juvenile delinquents and the other half were so boring they'd put a fencepost to sleep. It was much easier to get me out during the summers, when there was a recreation program at the local elementary school that drew kids from other neighborhoods as well.

As for homework...that didn't become an issue until I was in junior high. At that point I really needed the kick in the butt, because I really hated that sort of make-work, which was what most of it really was, and I was bored by most of my classes because I had already run across most of what we were learning in my reading. I had a real attitude about school through most of junior high and high school, but only because it was so boring to me. I don't do boring well, and my way of coping with that, then as now, was to go hide in a book.

It sounds like you're hitting a good balance, TT. You read, which in itself will encourage your kids to read. And it doesn't sound like you over-program your kids' time...I've seen that all too often, and it bothers me. I mean, I've seen cases of it where kids literally didn't have a spare moment during the day because their parents had put them in so many programmed activities. Sure, most of the activities had value, but kids need to have time to explore on their own, without someone looking over their shoulder (other than needed parental guidance, such as when they're using the internet or to make sure they know their kids' friends) and without having to "measure up" to the other kids involved in the programmed activities.

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

And it doesn't sound like you over-program your kids' time...I've seen that all too often, and it bothers me. I mean, I've seen cases of it where kids literally didn't have a spare moment during the day because their parents had put them in so many programmed activities.

I agree with you completely on this point. It's another item that takes conscious effort to balance...exposure to activities in an effort to help them define and explore their own interests, balanced with enough hands off time to pursue and process what they choose for themselves.

 

[j d worthington]

I agree with you completely on this point. It's another item that takes conscious effort to balance...exposure to activities in an effort to help them define and explore their own interests, balanced with enough hands off time to pursue and process what they choose for themselves.

And to become increasingly independent, leading (it is to be hoped) to being healthy, independent, adults.

 

[Weakforchocolate]

Ive always liked the way you talk about your kids, TT. Can I clone Madelyn? She sounds like a doll! Now that it is too late, I regret not having any. Thanks for pointing out where to find your name. I always hated Heinleins acros myself. Drive me nuts figuring them out!

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

You're not too old in this day and age! As far as cloning, don't think its possible yet...or atleast not legally possible yet...but if and when that time comes...we'll talk. I have some home stuff to do, but look around and read some threads, maybe post an intro. Email me if you like, and I'll check in later. Again, glad you decided to try it out!