Stop texting and TALK to children
ONCE again it is announced that more money is to be spent by the Government on disadvantaged families to encourage parents to speak to their children. This problem has nothing to do with money. Wander around a supermarket and see how few parents are talking to their children. Youngsters can learn so much from shopping, observing colours and counting: ‘Can you find the beans?’, ‘It’s in a blue box’, ‘I need three of those’ and ‘It’s on the left.’ But instead you see parents pushing a trolley and texting on their mobile phone while their toddler plays with an electronic toy. My daughter started reading at three because we played games together such as I Spy. Some children are not only going to school unable to speak properly, but are still in nappies because their mothers can’t be bothered to toilet train them. By the time my three children went to school, they could use the toilet and knew how to use a knife and fork and put their shoes and coats on. I was so proud when my adult daughter recently said: ‘We didn’t have a lot of money, but we used to do a lot, didn’t we?’
JENNIE MARTIN, Norwich. . AS A father of four, I can confirm that reading bedtime stories encouraged a love of books and conversation in my children. A good education has little to do with government expenditure. It’s about teachers being able to inspire through respect, discipline and enthusiasm. A child’s attitude to school is influenced by their parents. Visiting the Caribbean, I was impressed by the children in immaculate school uniforms chatting to each other using excellent grammar. It makes me sad that many British teenagers think it’s cool to grunt or snobby to speak properly. MICHAEL PRITCHARD, Penn, Bucks. THE problem is not a lack of books, it is lazy parents who don’t speak to their children. When my two daughters were young, I spoke and read to them all the time. Today, they are a headmistress and an accountant. You don’t need fancy education projects, just an interest in your children.
MARION SELL, Swindon, Wilts.