Adult topics for kids
I started reading "grown-up" science fiction to Jacob when he was four. I posted about it in LJ just after he turned five, here: http://hotwire7.livejournal.com/4748.html
Now he's almost seven. I've changed my tune, and we are now reading a book I said was "wildly inappropriate" when he was four. The book is "the deed of Paksenarrion" by Elizabeth Moon. Or at least the first part of that trilogy, "Sheepfarmers Daughter". The book is about a woman learning to be a warrior. She marches in chain mail carrying a sword. She kills people. Yes, towns are sacked, some good people die, atrocities are committed, and so on. Just like real life.
Nancy and I made a reasonable effort to monitor and limit what Jacob is exposed to, especially TV. But he's a boy who plays with other boys, and all too soon his favorite thing is a Japanese fantasy fighting game / comic /TV show / marketing machine. He's running around swinging pretend swords, building fighter jets with Legos, and etc. Just being a boy, I guess. He says he wants to read books about World War II. I remember in third grade or so I went through many many of those.
So I thought maybe it's time to read The Deed of Paks to him. Of course he's loving it. The thing is, the book doesn't just cover the glory of fighting. Much time is spent on hard work and discipline. The heros get hurt, they hurt a lot and in detail. They have to do really hard things, and a lot of drudgery too. They grieve for their fallen comrades. They see terrible things happen, that they can't ride in and fix. The author is US Marine, I think she knows whereof she writes.
In short, I think it's a much more balanced view of war than a fantasy game where nobody gets hurt, or TV shows where the bad guys always have terrible aim. It's exciting and very well written, it's fun to read aloud and we both enjoy it. Along with the excitement I think Jacob is absorbing some lessons. We stop pretty often and talk about it, I define and explain, we discuss.
So I really think I'm doing a good thing. But it's probably pretty far from what most of Jacob's friends' parents are doing. Comments anyone?
Now he's almost seven. I've changed my tune, and we are now reading a book I said was "wildly inappropriate" when he was four. The book is "the deed of Paksenarrion" by Elizabeth Moon. Or at least the first part of that trilogy, "Sheepfarmers Daughter". The book is about a woman learning to be a warrior. She marches in chain mail carrying a sword. She kills people. Yes, towns are sacked, some good people die, atrocities are committed, and so on. Just like real life.
Nancy and I made a reasonable effort to monitor and limit what Jacob is exposed to, especially TV. But he's a boy who plays with other boys, and all too soon his favorite thing is a Japanese fantasy fighting game / comic /TV show / marketing machine. He's running around swinging pretend swords, building fighter jets with Legos, and etc. Just being a boy, I guess. He says he wants to read books about World War II. I remember in third grade or so I went through many many of those.
So I thought maybe it's time to read The Deed of Paks to him. Of course he's loving it. The thing is, the book doesn't just cover the glory of fighting. Much time is spent on hard work and discipline. The heros get hurt, they hurt a lot and in detail. They have to do really hard things, and a lot of drudgery too. They grieve for their fallen comrades. They see terrible things happen, that they can't ride in and fix. The author is US Marine, I think she knows whereof she writes.
In short, I think it's a much more balanced view of war than a fantasy game where nobody gets hurt, or TV shows where the bad guys always have terrible aim. It's exciting and very well written, it's fun to read aloud and we both enjoy it. Along with the excitement I think Jacob is absorbing some lessons. We stop pretty often and talk about it, I define and explain, we discuss.
So I really think I'm doing a good thing. But it's probably pretty far from what most of Jacob's friends' parents are doing. Comments anyone?