Raising a reader
Sangeetha Sagar asks two Dubai mums about their children’s reading habits, and how they encourage their kids to read for pleasure
Tanya Dsouza mum of Hannah, 16, and Sarah, 11
Initially, Tanya had a lot of trouble trying to get her daughters to read. ‘When they were small I used to purchase a lot of books, even if it meant picture books of fruits, vegetables, animals, etc. But every time I’d notice that the girls would eventually lose interest in them, and all the story books would just lie untouched in the cupboard.
‘As parents, we want our children to develop healthy traits. As a child I didn’t really read much, not being exposed to the habit. The only books I got to read were Tinkle and Chandamama, borrowed from a friend. I wanted to read Nancy Drew and The Famous Five, but didn’t have a library close by, and couldn’t afford to buy books.’
But she always believed reading was important, ‘because if you can read, you can learn anything’, a reason she decided to persist in inculcating the habit in her daughters.
She started by what experts say is the most important step to getting kids to read – setting an example. She began devouring books herself so they’d model her behaviour.
She then introduced them to books that matched their interests and hobbies, but also encouraged them to choose their own reading material. Then she started buying games and activities that needed reading and following instructions. And it worked.
Her children now love reading and actively seek out different genres. Tanya says the habit has had a major impact on the kids’ vocabulary.
Hannah’s favourites have evolved from comics to mystery, crime or autobiographies, such as Paper Towns [by John Green] or Malala Yousafzai’s I am Malala. Sarah likes her series of Rainbow Fairies and Princess Diaries, and has now started with non–fiction as well. Both say that while earlier their parents would tell them to read, now they want to themselves.
The girls prefer printed books over e–books; they find the latter can ‘get rather distracting and ruins the excitement of reading’. Of late, Hannah prefers picking up a newspaper or magazine over novels, because she loves ‘global controversies and celebrities’.