Nayna: "I don't know. I've read most of them."
Mom: "Really? I thought you were around the half-way mark?"
Nayna: "Well...I just can't find any I want to read."
As I continue to compile transcripts for this past "school" year, I've noticed an interesting trend. My daughter, Nayna, has read more fiction than non-fiction. I've looked over her TJED for Teens list and she has read 43 of the 100 books listed. In studying this further, I realized that she has read almost all of the fiction books on the list, with only a few non-fiction titles completed. She is like me! She loves fiction, but has a hard time delving into non-fiction.
My son, on the other hand, typically does not like fiction (except for anything Louis L'Amour). We had a very different conversation earlier in the year.
Conversation:
Chris: "Mom, I can't stand fantasy books."
Mom: "Why not?"
Chris: "They are just so unbelievable. People can't really DO any of those things. Plus there's all those fake species from fairy tales and myths."
Mom: "I like fantasy. I know it isn't real, but it is an entertaining story." (specifically speaking of a book called "Elantris")
Chris: "I only like stuff that someone can really do."
As I pondered this conversation some months back, I remembered reading or hearing Oliver DeMille talk about a mentor that told him he was very good at reading and studying non-fiction, but he had neglected the fiction. He then challenged him to read "Les Miserables". (Quite a formidable read I might add). I wonder if this is a male/female difference. My husband also likes documentaries and non-fiction stories and information. I prefer fiction if given a choice. I wonder why?
Could it be that men are "doers" so they gravitate to non-fiction? What does that make women? Fantasists? I don't know...but maybe women do like to have little breaks from reality where men like to have adventures where they can picture themselves as the character, thus the need for it to be "real". That's my best guess and I would be happy to hear other's opinions of the subject.The question becomes:
"How do I mentor and inspire my daughter (and myself) to read non-fiction and my son to read fiction?"
Good question! My kids mostly read fiction-- boys and girls-- but I know my boys are often more open to reading non-fiction than my girls are.
ReplyDeleteI know Russell reads far more non-fiction than fiction, though he read a lot of both as a child and teen. He recently challenged himself to read more fiction, and has been enjoying it.
Maybe they need a mentor to challenge them, similarly to what happened to Oliver? Perhaps Mike could challenge Christian and you could challenge Nayna? Maybe a pep talk about what they SHOULD read, for the sake of their life's missions?
Best wishes!
~Rachel
P.S.-- Great post, by the way...
Amen, Rachel. I was thinking a new mentor for each might help.
ReplyDeleteWe have been looking for other mentors, but there is nothing local. Not even a book discussion for teens. We are pretty much alone in the TJED arena here.
ReplyDeleteNayna is ready to transition to Mentored Scholar, if we can just find the right mentor. She is mentored by her instructors at BYU-I and does quite well on the Professional Conveyor-belt.
I was just studying being Mentored by Mission, which is what I can apply here at home while we look/search/pray for outside mentors. We have struggled with the cost of online mentoring, which my kids don't like anyway (tried that one). They do much better face-to-face.
Chris had one person in Missouri who was a Leader that he talked to every other week. But, we are no longer there to meet with him.
Thanks ladies! I value your input. It can be disheartening when I am searching for something that is so elusive.
I can relate with your son - I like fiction - but not fantasy (not even Lord of the Rings - gasp!) I usually spend the whole time thinking - there is NO way this could really happen. But as I read more fantasy, I am learning to be "tolerant" and allow myself to enjoy it more. My absolute favorite is historical fiction and biographies (if they are written well and not DRY!). Maybe you could try historical fiction with Chris and biographies for you and Nayna as a start. Sometimes it is just getting our feet wet and out of our comfort zone that gets us over our "habits".
ReplyDeleteThose are great ideas, Elena miranda. I do like historical fiction and I think my son would like some about frontiersmen and civil war periods. He does read Louis L'Amour frequently, so I need to find comparable but new fiction for him. Biographies can be dry, but there are a few that I think could work well. I've been meaning to delve into "The Real Thomas Jefferson", but for some reason it scares me. LOL! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCeleste,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It's not a gender difference; it's a personality difference. There's a book that may give you some insight- Breaking the Learning Barrier for Underachieving Students (not to say that your kids are "underachieving", it's relevant to everyone). It's about understanding personalities, and written by a BYU professor, and it's awesome. It's helped me understand my oldest son and how to parent him! :)
A side note- Three of my brothers are obsessed with fantasy, my husband prefers non-fiction, my mom only reads nonfiction, and I'll read anything that isn't sad enough to make me cry :).
Thanks Annie for the book recommendation! I'll have to see if I can get that soon.
ReplyDelete