Domestic Psychology

summer reading

// June 1st, 2010 // 4 Comments » // books, school, summer

Ahhh, June first and the start of summer fun school assignments. The youngest children don’t have formal assignments, so they get to choose their own books and we casually work on specific skills. Evan excels at numbers, so we are learning what sounds belong to each letter. Amy’s reading and writing abilities are amazing, so she needs to work on numbers.

Noah and Sarah have assigned summer reading. Noah normally absorbs a novel a day, but he is less than thrilled at his new books. Noah is going to read:
“The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd
“Anthem” by Ayn Rand*
“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
“The Greatest Generation” by Tom Brokaw

Sarah is going to read:
“How to Read Literature like a Professor” by Thomas Foster
“1984″ by George Orwell
“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley
“Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad
“The Greatest Generation” by Tom Brokaw

“The Greatest Generation” is on both lists because the school wants every student to read it. The teachers didn’t include it on their printed lists. Sarah took this as a sign that it was optional. I took it as understood, since everyone is supposed to read it. I don’t care if they discuss “The Greatest Generation” in basket weaving class, but they’d better discuss it at some point this year or my name will be mud.

Sarah also has a summer art portfolio and college shopping to get done while Noah learns how to be a part of the marching band. Tommy thinks his summer will be spent sleeping until noon and playing games all night. I’m going to schedule play dates to force him to interact with others and get out of his room. I’m a brutal taskmaster.

*I hate this choice. Like last year’s Catcher in the Rye, I would happily trade for a different book if it was an option.

children’s books were different in 1941

// April 11th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // books, kid quotes

“He kidnapped him!”
“The man in the yellow hat smokes?”
“George almost drowned!”
“He let a monkey smoke?”
“This book is weird.”
“I liked the movie better.”

Dear English teacher,

// January 8th, 2010 // 6 Comments » // books, school

There are so many wonderful books that are considered classics. Having to narrow it down to one semester’s worth of choices is something I have discussed with others on more than one occasion. Your choices are somber and thought provoking. Even with the focus on emotional struggle that you have chosen, I have to question your inclusion of Chopin’s “The Awakening.” Yes, it certainly qualifies as a classic piece of literature. It is also one of the most depressing books I have ever read. I read it as an adult and it made me want to dress in black and comb my hair over my eyes. I cannot imagine emotional roller coaster teenagers emerging from this book’s study enlightened.

I recognize that feminist literature choices tend to be pessimistic and misandrous. I understand that you are trying to avoid literature that includes sexual themes. Still, isn’t there anything that they could read which doesn’t romanticize suicide? Are there no books for teens that are inspiring or hopeful? Would it be terrible if they read a book that made them laugh?

Cathy

Reading List for this class: The Awakening, In Cold Blood, Native Son, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Things They Carried, Life of Pi, The Sound and the Fury, The Grapes of Wrath and The Catcher in the Rye.

Scholastic Parents

// June 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, books

I’m still blogging at Scholastic Parents’ blog. Drop by and say hello.

how to buy a library book

// February 6th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // books, food, parenting

1. Insist that you want applesauce in your school lunch.
2. In the school cafeteria, take one nibble of applesauce.
3. Return open applesauce to backpack.
4. Throw backpack around several times.
5. Let mom open backpack to discover applesauce in every nook and cranny of backpack, school work, folders AND a school library book.
6. Explain to confused mom that you didn’t like the applesauce and were bringing it back home for dad to eat.
7. Skip away cheerfully as mother stands like a deer in headlights, staring at the applesauce disaster inside your once nice backpack.

read again. again. again.

// August 5th, 2008 // 4 Comments » // books, parenting

How many times do I have to read the exact same book aloud to the 3-year-old before I can throw the book out the window and run screaming from the room? “The window, the window, she threw it out the window.” Four word sentences should be treated like four letter words. Just because I look like Dr. Frankenstein’s creation doesn’t mean I want to sound like him. Actually, the creature spoke beautiful, tragically romantic dialogue. He was just created a little too soon to bond with the Goths who would have happily sulked with him, their long hair hiding their eyes so that their black lips seemed exaggerated. No, only the movie creatures speak in the monosyllabic, mind numbing repetition that children’s books are so fond of using. I think I should strap the children in their carseats and drive the entire length of Kingston Pike while making them listen to an audio recording of Mary Shelley’s thinly veiled psychotherapy session. Or I could just read Evan that same primary-colored book again. And again. And again.

Breaking Dawn blogging

// August 1st, 2008 // No Comments » // books, teenagers

It’s Friday night and I’m at the bookstore with Sarah for the new Twilight book release party. I have claimed a big, squishy chair on the wall with a view of the wristband table and cash registers. It’s not the best location in the store, but it’s the best chair. I thought about dragging the good chair to a better location and decided the employees would not approve of my redecorating efforts. The store is 98% female and the background noise has a distinct giggle tone. Every few minutes, someone squeals. This crowd may look goth and gloom, but they are happy. In two hours when the book comes out of the back storeroom, the crowd should be punch drunk silly. Most of the parents are huddled in the coffee shop with bored expressions. In two hours, they will probably be asleep in their cars. I might be asleep in my squishy chair.

The building is packed with females, but the drama still takes place in the ladies’ room. “And then he said…” The books were rolled to the front at 11 pm, but crabby employee didn’t want me taking a picture of a blanket draped blob. Silly employee. Don’t you know that you guaranteed I would take that picture? A girl in a purple prom dress was declared best costume and the crowd started massing toward the checkouts. I took the computer to the car at 11:45 and passed three cars with the engines humming while the designated drivers slept. By 12:05, Sarah had her book and we were home by 12:15. I am now regretting the Starbucks purchases I made over the past three hours. I should be able to fall asleep sometime tomorrow. I just hope it’s after the STAR horse show.

McKay’s

// June 9th, 2008 // No Comments » // books, local, shops

A long road trip with five children means lots of books to read. McKay’s has always been one of our favorite places to visit. Since they changed locations, we go less often. Yes, it’s easier to get in and out of the parking lot and there is a lot more parking space, but the experience is just not the same. It feels like they scooted the bookcases far apart instead of adding more books. They pay less for books and refuse more books than they ever did at their old location. The employees have lost their flavor and gone bland. The thing that bothers me the most is the behavior of the customers. In the old location, people were elbow to elbow in the aisles. Strangers discussed books, authors, parenting and politics. It was a calm, happy place to go for books. Now, people don’t make eye contact. It has lost its’ community. I still go to McKay’s a few times a year, but I used to go once a week. I’m sure McKay’s doesn’t notice the change. I feel it though.

she’s Mrs. Book Miser, she’s sharing none

// November 2nd, 2007 // 3 Comments » // books

I like books. Visiting the book store and choosing two new books (because one seems lonely) was once a regular part of my life. Until I convince Jessica Kingsley Publishers to make me a regular book reviewer, my library is not going to grow for a while. What it has been doing instead, is shrinking. Like most people, I think it’s wasteful for books to collect dust on a shelf when they should be read and shared. The reality of sharing books is that they rarely return. It wouldn’t bother me if the books were floating from new owner to new owner. Usually they are just lost or destroyed. The real problem is that I use my books as reference materials. Someone talks about giving their child treats for good behavior and I ask if they have read “Parents are Teachers” by Wesley Becker. Someone wants to talk to their children about Aspergers and I recommend books written by Kathy Hoopman. I can’t always remember authors and titles, but I know what book I want to recommend when I see it on my shelf. If the book is not on my shelf, I can’t recommend it. Then, they won’t read it and recommend it to someone else. So, until I make a record of all my books, I think I’m going to have to stop sharing. I’m the book Scrooge. Unless, of course, I get excited talking about one. “Really? You have just GOT to read . . . “

free people read freely

// October 2nd, 2007 // No Comments » // books

Pause for a moment from your busy week and read this. I’ll wait. Hmmmm . . .

Did you read it? Really? Good. Then you’ve read a banned book. Now, go read another one.