These days, kids and youngsters are engrossed in living in the virtual world. TV, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and e-mails usurp a valuable chunk of the free time that they have to indulge in hobbies. These children think that as all the material is available so easily on the Internet, why bother about going to libraries, reading books and newspapers? They are under the erroneous impression that all the material that is visible on the Web is reliable and true.If only they would read books, they could have a better understanding and knowledge about a lot of topics.
Books open the windows of our minds and rejuvenate our souls. They bring in fresh perspectives, world-views and fonts of wisdom. Thoughts, teachings and sayings of great thinkers and leaders inspire, motivate and enrich our lives. The very feel of the pages under our fingers, the sight of beautiful words in ink, in equally beautiful fonts and styles, the smell of newsprint, research on various topics, maintaining scrap-books, the forays to the library or the book-shelves at home could be akin to pilgrimages. Exchanging books, exchanging ideas and debates would make life more meaningful.
I have splendid memories of my childhood days, when I would brush my teeth in the morning and immediately start reading a story-book. All my mother's calls to have tea would go unanswered, till my loving mother would come and thrust the tea tumbler under my nose. Ditto, my sister! This would continue all day long, till late nights, during our holidays.My mother would call us book-worms but was genuinely pleased that we took to reading like ducks to water. She had a degree in English Literature and was pleased that we were proving to be chips of the old block. My father bought all the books and magazines that we wanted. Even our teachers exhorted us to read and write a lot. Each new book was eagerly awaited and bought and read at once! We would quarrel to read it first and then reach an amiable compromise. "You read this one first, then I will read the next one first!"
The newspaper was shared by all five of us, each one reading a page and then exchanging with the others! The news was then discussed thread-bare.Thus we got a mind of our own and could talk intelligibly on a variety of topics. The text-books were devoured too, from the first word to the last, so that we could answer any question based on it in our exams.
We read magazines and books in English, Marathi and Hindi. All genres were devoured with voracious appetite. Our insatiable thirst for knowledge resulted in an excellent vocabulary, language and General Knowledge which helped us in our Government Exams for jobs, conversational skills and teaching capability.
I am a teacher and professional free-lance writer and owe all my success to my reading habits which have still not deserted me. Hence, I request all parents, elders and teachers to encourage the reading habit among children, instill in them a love for the printed word and let them enter this fantastic world of Fact and Fiction which will always stand them in good stead.
A word of friendly advice for my young friends: Make friends with books. They'll never let you down.
The End
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P.S. Today is International Day for Children's Books.
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The copyright of this article is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
Children's Books Authored By Me: Chikoo Series (Available At Amazon)
Do buy and peruse these books, read them alongwith your kids and relive the carefree and innocent days of your childhood.
Please don't forget to post your invaluable reviews online.
Thanks in eager anticipation, Priya
The copyright of all these 3 books is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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