14 replies
Location: Philippines
Position: Nurse
hi everyone! i would like to share an observation in my culture about parents’ role in motivating their boys to read. a lot of parents from where I come from wouldn’t bother to buy their boys books even if their son is really interested in reading. one of the main reasons is that, for them, the book would be useless after being read, thus thinking that money would just be wasted. a very few kids in my country are lucky enough to have parents who would feed their hunger for reading. I really do hope that this mentality would change in the coming years.
#1
Location: Colorado , United States
Positions: Parent Administrator
So, are you saying that it is a poverty issue? What country do you live in?
I am JJ the MAN
#2
Location: Setif, Algeria
Positions: Classroom Teacher Administrator, English Teacher
Parents’ Role? I think Parents have a part in the influence of the Kid positively or negatively; for example if you find the mother encourage her son to study and work hard in school and tell him that the present will beeeee : A BOOK, HOLAAAA The boy will think that the book is a BIG ,BIG present! he will be happy and love to read and read more, So the mother (or father) can motivate the boy to read and to love reading
And as we know (In my country) boys are attached to their mothers more than fathers, so the mother can motivate the boys more than what the father can!!
This is my opinion I hope you like it
C.AYOUB
#3
Location: Rhode Island, USA
Position: Parent
With poverty being an issue I can see how the buying of books may look like a waste of money (if I have children to feed and nothing left to spend I would have to choose the food). But, the sad thing is if these children do not learn to read they will never be able to better themselves in education. In this world you need an education to survive. Right now with the way the economy is jobs are getting tougher and tougher to find. Without being able to read it doesn’t leave much open in the way of success.
Do you not have libraries where you come from Anapulong?
Thanks, Debby
#4
Location: philippines
Position: Classroom Teacher
Parents of course has a vital role in the motivating kids to read. If the parents are wide readers, it follows that kids are also the same. It is an encouragement by example.
Here in the Philippines, Most of the families here are not very keen on this. Several parents just put all the responsibility entirely to schools with regards to literacy. But there are others too who are really hands on to their kids scholastic and mental development. They are the ones who really guide their children to read books.
#5
Location: Philippines
Parents played a big role in motivating boys to read, they were more encouraging for the kids than anybody else. And like C.Ayoub case, boys are also more attached with their mother’s rather than their fathers (here in our country)so the mother can motivate them more.
#6
Location: Philippines
Position: Nurse
I thought of this just now. Some boys would really do everything they can to avoid reading because they just simply don’t like it. So as parents, I think one way to motivate kids to read is to show them things that you also hate doing but actually turns out to be beneficial for you. The kids would then get the comparison. Parents are firstline role models for children. This will present the reality to kids that there are things in life that are not likeable to do but must be done because they actually bring in something good. One classic example, studying. Everyone of us went through or must go through school to be able achieve our goals in life. As for parents, they may show (or even be vocal) to their kids that there are certain tasks with their respective work that they hate doing but must be done to be able to earn a living. Just be sure to instill the right message to them because some kids might think that you are pressuring them to do good. Just let them realize this fact of life. That there are certain things which are very challenging to do but proves to be advantageous to us.
#7
Location: Kerala, India
Positions: Parent Administrator
It’s obvious that Parents have an important role to play in nurturing a boys reading habit.I believe Parents must try to get those kinds of books which will be useful for the next generation also, like the small digests and etc books. However their roles don’t ends there.
Spend some time to help your child:-
Initially you must spend some time with the child in reading the books, explaining him the things. Once this is done for sometime, just ask your child to give it a try himself. He will do it …that’s for sure.
Give the feeling that his effort is acknowledged:-
Again also ask him regarding the progress at the end of each day and try to appreciate what he did. This will make the child feel that his efforts are being noticed and will act as a tremendous morale booster which in turn will make him read a lot more.
The above wordings is from my own life and which I adopted to get my son to start reading. I am sure that Parents who can try this out with patience can reap good results.
#8
Location: Kerala, India
Positions: Parent Administrator
It’s obvious that Parents have an important role to play in nurturing a boys reading habit.I believe Parents must try to get those kinds of books which will be useful for the next generation also, like the small digests and etc books. However their roles don’t ends there.
Spend some time to help your child:-
Initially you must spend some time with the child in reading the books, explaining him the things. Once this is done for sometime, just ask your child to give it a try himself. He will do it …that’s for sure.
Give the feeling that his effort is acknowledged:-
Again also ask him regarding the progress at the end of each day and try to appreciate what he did. This will make the child feel that his efforts are being noticed and will act as a tremendous morale booster which in turn will make him read a lot more.
The above wordings is from my own life and which I adopted to get my son to start reading. I am sure that Parents who can try this out with patience can reap good results.
#9
Location: Philippines
Position: Parent
If the parents couldn’t afford books, there’s always the public library. Or they could borrow books from friends.
#10
Location: England UK and Philippines
Positions: Parent, Classroom Teacher Boy who could not read
Parents can play a very big part in encouraging and helping their children to read, they are the front-line role models for their children but sadly it is true in the Philippines all the pressure is put on the school but even sadder is the schools don’t have the resources to fulfill all their students needs. Not enough respect is given to the teaching profession here in the Philippines. The teachers are poorly paid. It seems ludicrous that the so called leaders/rulers of the country have such a low regard for teacher, especially as they are teaching the countries next generation. However the teachers here do their best and seem very dedicated and the parents who can afford it do their best. I know of some parent who will go without food themselves, to be able to pay for the education needs of their children.
As said by others here boys are encouraged the least to read and get a good education, nearly all my students here are female,
And yes Debby they do have libraries in the Philippines but unfortunately they don’t seem to be respected by the authorities as they should be. I am a native English teacher of English as a second language here in the Philippines and near where I live and teach is a very large library unfortunately the large amount of books there are not looked after, they are not cataloged in any way and no money or help is given to run the library. Children are not encouraged to go in there. The only time I have personally seen the building used is when they hold a market in there on the ground floor. Very sad.
Keithatela
#11
Location: Philippines
Position: Parent
The entire education system needs a major overhaul. The government seems to have other priorities that’s why public libraries are not well-maintained. Some private companies, on the other hand, do sponsor reading programs by putting up a mobile library (housed in huge bus/truck) dedicated to out-of-school youth and poor communities.
#12
Location: Kentucky, USA
Position: Parent
Parents do play a huge part in children’ life. If they don’t like or want their children to read, then the children won’t. They think their parents don’t approve of it.
#13
Location: Philippines
Positions: Parent, Classroom Teacher
I agree with debby that education should be one of the priorities of Parents but at the same time in a third world country like the Philippines, it is really hard to give kids daily meals much more good education. A parent would of course put food first, then maybe education later.
~~~a stone is not carved by force but by constant friction~~~
#14
Location: Rhode Island, USA
Position: Parent
You are very right Chuck. For us here in the US we do not always take that into account (shame on me). I think we are so used to not having to worry about things as those in the third world countries are.
