Author Topic: ANA Book Club?  (Read 405998 times)

Jim Scott

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1950 on: October 12, 2012, 02:34:08 pm »
does this make sense ??? I don't want to be seen as a judge and jury of what books will be picked to be ordered in multiples ... I want to be seen as a parent that cares what the kids read ... not just my child but those around her... I am at school enough to watch the kids change and act out what they see on TV , in movies or read in books ... and it seems that they prefer to act out bad parts more so than possitive ones .... the teachers polled parents at conferences and found that around 90% didn't know what their kids were reading and as long as they got their AR points they didn't care   ... most parents are not involves with their kids schooling enough ... maybe I am too involved ... I look at their numbers but I also look at my kids and watch how they get to those numbers ... one parent on survey said as long as her child maintained a 70 , C , average they didn't get involved .

I don't oppose books like the Hunger Games ... I read them ... they were engaging but at same time I didn't particularly like them ...again I will sat that I believe that my experience living through a school shooting where the shooter was at my house handing me a cupcake and 3 days later was  turning the corner to become a murderer colors my view on kid on kid violence … I oppose a child being forced to read a book that upsets them and I oppose kids that are too young reading material that is not age appropriate  ( case point my now 9 year old granddaughter who read the Twilight books at 7 )  … my granddaughter could read the words and knew what was being said but at 7 does she need to be reading books that are extremely violent or with strong sexual content ? … my DIL said if she could read the words she could read it …my son said she should wait … he lost … now we have a 9 year old that pops off with inappropriate subject matter at family gatherings describing things she shouldn’t know because she has been over exposed too soon …

OK … getting off my soap box … this is a subject that has been going since books were printed … at least I have never burned a book … or banned one … have marked some that were slated for younger readers as wait a year or 2 … dang it … still have one foot on the box   ;D :-X

Soundy ~

I admire your concern about approving books that are age-appropriate without feeling like a prude. 

The salient point here is that you are an adult - a parent - with good sense and traditional values dealing with books for children.  That being the case, careful consideration must be paid to content including theme, language and overall tone, especially when violence or sexual situations are involved in the book's story line.   Granted, each child will have a different maturity level but a child is still a child and simply being able to read about sex or violence, knowing all the words but not having the maturity to grasp the full meaning, is a factor that you must deal with when selecting books for children, be they six or twelve.  As parents, I believe we have a moral duty to select what we consider 'age-appropriate' reading material for our progeny, especially when they are quite young (under eight years old). 

Your account of your granddaughter reading the 'Twilight' books at age seven and not really being able to understand them is a good case in point.  Being precocious is great but most of the time, the precocious child is unable to understand the real-life consequences of some of the bad behavior they may read about in books.  Unfortunately, society doesn't support good parenting anymore and we see that in high school kids being promiscuous and doing drugs.  Some get through that stage unscathed but some do not and the 'cool' high school kid isn't so cool a decade later dealing with a nasty drug habit that keeps him in and out of jail and with no future or the girl that is stuck in a dead-end job or on welfare, has two babies with different fathers that have long since 'moved on'.   Do books cause this?  Of course not.  But cumulatively, the media (books, movies, music, TV) and sometimes (but not always) absentee or irresponsible parenting help to produce a child going the wrong direction in life. 

One of my wife's best friends is a high school English teacher who teaches honor classes in literature and she sees this every day.  Although her students read the classics, she also has to assign 'modern' books that sometimes contain a lot of sex and violence. This Christian lady told us that when they read aloud and come to a part of the story where a character uses a lot of curse words, she tells the student reading aloud to skip over those words.  Few students object - and they are far from all model teens.  Although she is dealing with teenagers, some of them seniors, she tries to guide them into realizing that despite what some books present (and society obliquely condones) violence and promiscuity are not desirable choices. 

I believe this is the best way for a parent - who has far more influence on their child than a teacher - to act on this issue.  Select age-appropriate books for their children but as those children grow (as they have a habit of doing) teach them, preferably by example as well as words, what is the best way to handle life's challenges and, especially as they near puberty, how to respond to and control their natural urges and not make a mess of their life.  Some books can actually reinforce good values.  For older children (10 and up) who are proficient readers, some books can help them realize that their 'romantic' feelings, fears and concerns are universal and that they are not necessarily 'weird' (kids favorite word).   

I don't consider that stating your opinions on this important subject as being on a soapbox (preaching) and I don't consider my response to your concerns anything more than stating a point of view that, I hope, encourages you a bit as you seriously attempt to do what is right for your children - or, you can just ignore it.  I won't be offended.  It's just an opinion and I'm sure some parents would disagree with it.  So be it.  At least we have the freedom to do what we believe is best for our children, as I did - and I know you will.

Jim

4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

MDemisay

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1951 on: October 15, 2012, 09:37:05 am »
Dear Soundy,

After reading all the issues that you are confronting and considering what Jim has said about being involved and being a parent myself and remembering both my wife's involvement and my own over what books to be read to my daughter, I would agree with your assessment that being involved is better than being not involved. Stay involved!

 Don't let society tell you what to do! Too many adults let our children "drift" in proper schooling, letting them grow up with little or no values.. Then we are suprised at the recidivism rate of prisons or crime?

 Parents teach your children, get involved don't disconnect at schooltime.


Stay involved! It reaps greater rewards down the road! Don't let the system squelch your opinion!!!

Mike

1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

Soundy

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1952 on: October 18, 2012, 11:45:23 am »
No issues today involving books

Working on our Wildcat Run here at school now.. it is to be held next Thursday ...kids will walk in shifts all day....we are taking dollar donations that get you  a chance for a Kindle Fire HD..... chicken stew dinner that night with awards to follow.... there are prizes for most money raised by the top three kids along with most laps , top money raising classes.....etc etc

as for books, someone gave me a book that is a Knitting Club book...Knit The Season....it is Christmas oriented ..... it is going to be my next read
3mm AN discovered Aug 2004
Translab July 2 ,2007
3.2cm x 2.75cm x 3.3cm @ time of surgery

cindyj

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1953 on: October 31, 2012, 01:49:45 pm »
Just finished reading The Glass Castle by Jeanneatte Walls...not one I would ever have picked for myself, but a friend recommended it - very good quick read.  Many of you probably have heard of it and/or read it, but I had never heard of it...remember, I am just now getting to Harry Potter  ::) I am usually way behind the trend in books. 

Cindy
rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold."  Josh Billings

Soundy

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1954 on: November 05, 2012, 01:21:19 pm »
Cindy , I haven't made it to Harry Potter yet either... movies or books even though all the movies and half the books are here at my house

With band season over (except playing at state football playoff games) my life may slow down enough to read some ... lately I  just come home do minimum house work , feed the hoard of hungry people that live with me and conk out
3mm AN discovered Aug 2004
Translab July 2 ,2007
3.2cm x 2.75cm x 3.3cm @ time of surgery

leapyrtwins

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1955 on: November 05, 2012, 01:43:33 pm »
Read the Glass Castle, enjoyed it.

Just discovered an author by the name of Claire Cook - a friend of mine sent me one of her books - so now I'm reading lots of her stuff.

Also just started Cell by Stephen King.

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

millie

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1956 on: November 05, 2012, 06:40:29 pm »
Try Doc ....a work of historical fiction about Doc Holliday before the O.K. Corral.  You will fall in love with Doc, who was a Southern gentleman, a great dentist, and a brilliant, wonderful human being. 
I have a list of great books from my Book Club of thirteen years...sadly, it just dissolved.  When I have more stamina, (with my eyes) I will post my favorite reads....among them, Rebecca and A Prayer for Owen Meany.  Mil

Soundy

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1957 on: November 07, 2012, 02:55:44 pm »
Have a several times re-read copy of A Prayer For Owen Meany ... would have liked the movie adaptation " Simon Birch" had I not already read the bookRightht now co-reading The Abduction , a Theodore Boone  Kid Lawyer book ,  by John Grisham , with my reluctant reader ... iisia a fast read ...about halthete book in one sitting ...
3mm AN discovered Aug 2004
Translab July 2 ,2007
3.2cm x 2.75cm x 3.3cm @ time of surgery

saralynn143

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1958 on: April 08, 2013, 01:24:43 pm »
Several of us have recently read or are currently reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I thought it would be interesting to discuss in a couple of weeks or so.
MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
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Kaybo

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1959 on: April 09, 2013, 03:06:07 pm »
I'm over 1/2 way done!!

k   ;D
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
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Kaybo

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1960 on: April 18, 2013, 03:30:29 pm »
I am through with Gone Girl now...who wants to discuss it?  Is there anyone who is reading it that we need to wait on or was it just me??  ???

K   ;D
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

Brewers7

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Re: ANA Book Club?
« Reply #1961 on: April 19, 2013, 08:52:54 am »
I read it a couple of months ago.  Bizarre but very interesting.
Translab surgery 12/15/2008 followed by CSF leakage repair and 3 additional surgeries for MRSA of the brain (NOT typical) SSD,  facial and vocal cord paralysis, numerous reconstructive surgeries, Transear 12/2010