Books are killing our children

For the past few days, Firstborn has been sucked into the depths of Septimus Heap. He started the first book of the trilogy last summer and was quickly diverted back to Eldest in preparation for the Eragon movie. He wanted to have both books read before the movie came out in case they put some plot bits from Eldest into the movie. I'm loving his interest in reading the book before seeing the movie.

When he finished the first in the Septimus Heap series, we bought him the second because he seemed to enjoy the first quite a lot. By the time he launched himself into the second, we had lost him for good. Every second, this book is opened. He never fully closes it until he passes out at night. He walks around the house, book tucked under his arm, index finger marking his place. He brushes his teeth with brush in one hand, and book under the other arm. He eats with his finger in place. Placing a bookmark in the pages would take too much time from reading the book.

He has given up on our get ready by yourself challenge. The challenge was that if he proved to me he could get ready on his own in the morning with no nagging, he could start playing video games in the morning after he is ready and before school. He doesn't care anymore. He would rather read and be nagged.

That whole thing got me thinking. I know countless mothers who refuse to buy their kids game systems for fear that they will become addicted. I know countless more who routinely take the systems away from their kids because the kids can't control their obsessive desire to play. They can't understand why a child would give up outside playtime for a game system.

I know no mothers who feel the same way about books. It's acceptable in this world to roll your eyes skyward and say "That's just johhny. He loves his books." But no one feels the same way about gaming systems. Yet it is the same reaction I seen in Firstborn with his books. He is obsessed. He can't wait to read. His teacher threatens to take away his books until reading time.

The media has certainly done a good job of demonizing video games. You play too much and you will end up with CTS or tendinitis. You play too much and you'll get a blood clot! Have you ever heard of someone warning against reading in one position because you might get a blood clot? Never. I guess it's OK if a 10 year old dies from a stroke while reading because at least he was using his mind. Right? And believe me, if firstborn doesn't learn to use something other than his finger as a place marker, he is definitely gonna hurt some tendon somewhere.

It is very difficult not to react negatively to our children's obsessive compulsive behaviors. But it can be interesting when you put them into perspective.