Imagination…
When you were a child, what did you imagine? Did you imagine fighting dragons or flying like Supergirl? I’m sure what you imagined was beautiful but it was nowhere as beautiful as the freedom you had to imagine. As a parent, I’m concerned about what my children read, but I would be more concerned if they didn’t like to read.
Imagination is a rocket waiting to fly high above the dark clouds of confusing opinions wielded by professed and self-professed child experts or fearful parents. Up there, above the clouds of fear exist a world few adults no longer see. A child with an active imagination can soar higher than any rocket, all we have to do is make sure their imagination soars and not stall out by our repressive fear. A reading child is an informed child. In time they will see the pitfalls of life. As parents it’s our job to point out real dangers not imagined ones.
I have read many book reviews that clearly show parents stifling their child’s imagination – How? By reading too much into the story. One review I recently read stated, ‘I regret reading this story, this horrible story about a young boy who brings home bunny rabbits to play with. I fear my three year old will bring home strangers.’
Really?
Imagine a three year old, without her parent’s permission bringing home strangers. It baffles my mind that this parent missed out on a perfect chance to let her child just enjoy a story; without the parent infusing fear into the mix.
It’s amazes me that the child’s imagination was chained, while the parent’s imagination ran wild. Maybe it’s me, maybe.
I think, a child should be able to read or have read to them stories that are obviously non-threatening, without the parent instilling fear into a child that just wants to enjoy a good story. Whadda you think?
