How active are you in your kid's reading?

I don't have kids but...I don't think banned books are better or naughtier or more mind-expanding than other books. Books get banned for really stupid reasons. Like it has children using magic spells. Or a character overhears someone say the word "scrotum" used in a scientifically accurate way. People who ban books do so because they are so tiny-brained that they want to prevent thoughts from being in people's heads. The "Read a Banned Book!" events are valuable because they draw attention other people's attempts to prevent us from reading and thinking, and remind us that knowledge wants to be free.

When I was a kid, my parents let me read anything I wanted without exception, and without discussion. My dad's big thing was that he didn't want to censor me. I will do the same for my kids. I started reading adult lit at age 9. I suffered no ill effects, though I had a few eye-opening moments. For the most part naughty stuff went over my head, or I flipped through a sex scene to see when we could get back to Fighting The Bad Guys.

Trying to get my kids to read is like pulling teeth.

As far as dictating what they read. I've never had an issue with the school's reading list. I do try to get them to read the books I enjoyed, but as I said, its like pulling teeth to get them to read outside of class.

Kitty Pryde said:

For the most part naughty stuff went over my head, or I flipped through a sex scene to see when we could get back to Fighting The Bad Guys.

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I still skip the sex scenes to get to the fighting.

I do not censor my kid's reading. (or any other media use) She has the run of our bookshelves. The only thing I ask is that she brings any questions or concerns raised by the books to me or her dad. At this point (She's 8 but reads on a high school level) I have regretted this decision on some questionable taste issues (Prada and Prejudice), particularly because I make a point of reading her books if I have not read them already. Should other issues present themselves I might bring them up. If she were to read the Twilight books I would want to bring up the stalkerish elements in the relationships (if they are there -- I have not read the books but have heard this is a concern of some people)

I'm an enabler, not a dictator. I let them read whatever they want. So far, they haven't picked up anything I'm uncomfortable with. Browsing used book stores is regarded as a fun family outing and I usually buy them whatever takes their fancy. At Christmas and on birthdays they get shiny new books. They (at age six and eight) have favorite authors and illustrators.

We read 'And Tango Makes Three' together. Hopefully, when they meet their first kid with two daddies, they'll remember that book and accept it as normal.

Both my kids - 10 and 6 - have inherited the bookworm gene passed on from my husband and me. It's not unusual to find a stack of books under the pillows when I go in their rooms to make beds. A visit to the book store is as exciting as a trip to the toy store for us.

As far as what they read - no, we don't censor. We let them choose books that interest them. That said, they do tend to stick with age appropriate and/or teen material - my girl's latest book is Inkspell and my little guy loves his picture books or to have Star Wars chapter books read to him. They love to talk about what they've read, which is fun - I love their take on things. I read what my girl reads, simply because we have similar tastes in stories and it makes for more interesting conversation if I know what she's talking about, not as a matter of censorship. Star Wars reading/conversation is a guy thing my hubs and little guy have.

My kids can read what they want - within reason. At 11 and 9 I think erotica might be a bit much for them

I'm fine with sex scenes ( for my oldest at least) as long as they aren't graphic, same for violence ( although it kind of depends on the context as well for the violence). However unless a book is specifically for their age range I read it first, so we can talk about whatever crops up, or at least so I know what he's going to be reading about.

My son has read most of my adult fantasy for instance, and we've talked about themes and stuff. I've only turned him down on one book so far - an adult fantasy that was well over 1000 pages, so it would have taken me a while to pre-read it. I thought about it, but when I read a few reviews there was some ( apparently gratuitous and quite graphic) rape etc, so we decided on something else, and discussed why. However, he's read my book ( which has a non graphic attempted rape. Body parts are never seen. ) and we've discussed that too.

Put it like this - non graphic sex and violence is fine ( depending on context) Sexual violence...if it's implied, I'd probably let it go, particularly if it's show to be a Bad Thing. Gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or sexual violence ( esp where it isn't shown to be a Bad Thing) are probably a bit advanced for him currently, but when I think he can handle it, then he'll be free to read them. Although I'll still be keeping an eye on what he reads, so I know what might crop up

ETA: The reason I'm careful is my first experience of any kind of sex was finding my Mum's stash of Harold Robbins when I was 12. It warped me something chronic, and for quite some time I thought that's what all sex was like.....

My boys are 8 and 5 and both are avid readers. I read to them every night before bed, and they can usually be found with a book reading in a corner any time of day. We have floor to ceiling bookcases that are filled with a combination of theirs, mine and hubs books.

I let them pretty much read what they want. Even 5 year old knows what he likes and what is too scary for him at this point. Right now its a lot of Mercer Meyer, Magic Treehouse and Nate the Great.

I always had the tendency to let my kids read whatever they wanted to read, but tis was primarily because they were smart enough to know some things were off the table, and they wanted them off the table as much as I did. As adults, they still read whatever they want, but, fortunately, are still smart enough to know that nothing is automatically good or moral just because it's between the covers of a published book.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a banned book in this day and age. If there is, I've never found it.

I read to my kids almost every night from the time the oldest was about 1 until he was about 10 (honestly, I was still reading to them at age 10 and 8). Now, they read for themselves every night, I'm proud to say, although I sometimes catch the boy still awake under his covers with a book at 10 at night, which makes for a grumpy house the next morning.

I don't censor what they read but so far they seem most interested in age-appropriate stories. There are enough books they want to read that are for their age that they haven't ventured into the adult realm yet. When they do, I plan to support that and am prepared to discuss whatever they want to discuss.

Jamesaritchie said:

I always had the tendency to let my kids read whatever they wanted to read, but tis was primarily because they were smart enough to know some things were off the table, and they wanted them off the table as much as I did. As adults, they still read whatever they want, but, fortunately, are still smart enough to know that nothing is automatically good or moral just because it's between the covers of a published book.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a banned book in this day and age. If there is, I've never found it.

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Books get banned from school and public libraries and classrooms pretty regularly in the last decade in the US and the UK. Picture books depicting same sex couples (even as guinea pigs, or penguins), YA novels that talk about Naughty Things Teenagers Spend Most Of Their Time Thinking About, and fantasy novels that "promote the occult" have all been banned in the past few years.

Parents are most often the people attempting to ban a book because they don't like its contents and believe their child should not have been exposed to the ideas it contains.

Frequently challenged/banned books: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm

Kitty Pryde said:

Books get banned from school and public libraries and classrooms pretty regularly in the last decade in the US and the UK. Picture books depicting same sex couples (even as guinea pigs, or penguins), YA novels that talk about Naughty Things Teenagers Spend Most Of Their Time Thinking About, and fantasy novels that "promote the occult" have all been banned in the past few years.

Parents are most often the people attempting to ban a book because they don't like its contents and believe their child should not have been exposed to the ideas it contains.

Frequently challenged/banned books: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm

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There's an interesting irony to these lists. Specifically in reference to sex education books being challenged for being...well, sex education books.

Interesting indeed.

Thanks for the link.

The Lonely One said:

I know parents read to their kids at night, but then they get old enough to choose their own books.

I was reading a book-banning article SP posted and got to thinking--if I were a parent, I'd encourage my children to read banned books (when age appropriate). To me books are often about the things we can't talk about in this neurotic society, and then the society takes it upon itself to conform reading lists to that hypocritical reasoning.

So my question is, what kinds of stances do you take, not only to those trying to influence your kids' reading, but also directly to your kids? Do you dictate what they can read? Do you discuss the subjects/themes and explain them if they're mature? Are you active in your PTA or other organizations that take stands about reading?

Like I said I'm not a parent, but I do have convictions about books and I assume you all do, also. Just looking for a little insight. Figured parents and their kids are our best fight against illiteracy and hypocrisy in schools.

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I'm on the anything-within-reason side of things. That said, our son is only two at the moment, so 'suitable reading' isn't much of an issue. As he gets older, i wouldn't think of banning books but making sure he's aware of the reasons we may not want him to read a particular book until he's older. He loves books though, whether pre-school books or the likes of Harry Potter. He's also very, very good at reminding mummy that if she buys a book when she's out, then he's allowed to get one too..

Kitty Pryde said:

Books get banned from school and public libraries and classrooms pretty regularly in the last decade in the US and the UK. Picture books depicting same sex couples (even as guinea pigs, or penguins), YA novels that talk about Naughty Things Teenagers Spend Most Of Their Time Thinking About, and fantasy novels that "promote the occult" have all been banned in the past few years.

Parents are most often the people attempting to ban a book because they don't like its contents and believe their child should not have been exposed to the ideas it contains.

Frequently challenged/banned books: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm

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Thanks for posting that link. Just incredible to see the books that are being challenged, unbelievable.

I don't have kids but I plan on buying lots of books for my nephew when he's a little older. And letting him peruse my own library, of course. I don't want kids of my own so I'll at least make sure the one related to me is literate.

I don't have kids, either, but I just wanted to comment that the list of challenged books is ridiculous. Of Mice and Men? Really? Huckleberry Finn!?

You can really tell that it's paranoid and small parents that are challenging these.

Kitty Pryde said:

Books get banned from school and public libraries and classrooms pretty regularly in the last decade in the US and the UK. Picture books depicting same sex couples (even as guinea pigs, or penguins), YA novels that talk about Naughty Things Teenagers Spend Most Of Their Time Thinking About, and fantasy novels that "promote the occult" have all been banned in the past few years.

Parents are most often the people attempting to ban a book because they don't like its contents and believe their child should not have been exposed to the ideas it contains.

Frequently challenged/banned books: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm

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I'd like to find a list of books that were actually banned over the past few years, not just challenged. I think books bannings are extrememly rare, not 'pretty reguarly', as you hypothesize. I think that's why the lists I see are always "banned and challenged" since a list of "banned" these days would be tiny.

On the topic, I have two sons, 20 ans 18. I never censored their reading, but I read most of the same books they did, just to be an informed parent. Neither are 'avid' readers, but they do read for pleasure.

Theatre Censorship was hilarious:
'Substitute 'balls of the Medici'. 'Testicles of the Medici' would be acceptable'

They also told one writer to change an insult to:
'Shut your steaming mouth'

Theatre censors had such dirty minds- they objected to 'Up Periscope' because they thought it was about 'buggery'.