No TV

[jjjnettie]

I'm so happy, I just had to share this.
My boys have had no TV for the last week.
Do you know what they're doing instead?
READING!!:D
This morning, driving them to school, both had their heads buried in their BOOKS!!
This is a real turn around for Jack, who has never shown any real interest in the written word.
He's really enjoying the Andy McNab novels.
Tom is right into the Harry Potter series.

[leon]

Yes JJJ, T.V. has a lot to answer for, there should be 2 T.V. free days each week I reckon, not that I am really interested in T.V. anyway, with all that American rubbish.

Leon

[Dennis]

That’s terrific new Jeanette – there’s nothing like a good, solid read. We have bookcases and shelves spilling over with books and it’s great to be able to dip into them; just like meeting old friends!

Cheers

Dennis

[Rodstar]

That mirrors my recent experience with the kids.

I took our three kids (ages 6, 8 and 11) to stay in a mud brick hut with no electricity in Coonabarabran last week. I was a tad concerned about how they would cope without TV and internet for a week. By midweek, Noah, aged 8, said, "Dad, when we get back home, can we get rid of the television?" Two of my three spent lots of time reading and model making, and the youngest spend time with daddy doing lots of watercolours.

[h0ughy]

well done - my daughter can go through a harry potter in a day. my son - could take a long time he doesnt read very much yet - drag him kicking and screaming LOL

[Davros]

Brilliant, I had a very good teacher in grade 7 who rewarded the 5 kids who read the most books in the year with a night out at pizza hut. I loved it and it was a great way to encourage. I read obsessively now thanks to her. :thumbsup:

[mozzie]

everything in moderation jjj did you get the little ones in the eyepiece during the week?
mozzie

[jjjnettie]

no, haven't had the scope out for many days.

[seanliddelow]

I love reading. I began reading the Da Vinci code when I was 12 and I read the last harry potter in a day. Now Im 14 and Dan brown is still my favourite author ( I read Lost Symbol a couple weeks ago). Maybe it would be a good book for your kids when they are older.

[Esseth]

The only shows i really watch on TV are on Discovery Channel, History Channel, Discovery Science and BBC Knowledge.... and my guilty pleasure Sci-Fi :D

However i read whenever i find a good book that grabs me. Latest ones were The Wolf of Wall Street and the sequel. My downfall when it comes to reading, im to fussy.

[jjjnettie]

Once Jack finishes the book he's on, I'll see how he like the Da Vinci Code.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[seanliddelow]

It may be a bit hard to read how old is he?

[Clarry]

As an avid reader from a very young age, I would like to recommend a few books that I consider to be perfect for those new to reading.
1. The Power of One - Bryce Courtney
2. Interview with a Vampire - Anna Rice
3. Any of the Hornblower series - C.S. Forrester
4. Anything by Issac Asimov if you have the slightest interest in Sci-Fi.
Bit of an eclectic selection but I think they're real page turners.

[jjjnettie]

Jack will be 13 in March.

[kinetic]

How do you think you would go without IIS for a week Jeanette? :)

Steve

[spearo]

Aside from classics (Dante, Homer etc...)
Consider Douglas Adams for a young teen perhaps?
There's the Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy books but also a couple of really warped detective books and one (the only one i haven't read yet) on species going extinct or something like that)

frank

[Esseth]

The Wheel of Time series is what got me into reading a ton when i was younger, still an amazing series today.

Like harry potter but that bit more older and less emo.

(and it will keep them out of your hair for months being an 11 book series...so far)

[jjjnettie]

I did that a few weeks ago, didn't you notice my absence.:P
I cheated only a little bit. I went once to an internet cafe and had a 15 minute fix.
And one very kind IIS member rang me up and gave me all the gossip I was missing out on. You know, what new goodies are in the Buy and Sell, the news about WiFi etc We junkies understand each others needs. :lol:

[jjjnettie]

Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency, Last Chance to See and The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.
He was an excellent writer. Very similar to Ben Elton. Full on funny yet profound.
Thanks. I have all those in my book case.
Robert A Heinleins juveniles are very good too.
If Jack likes Andy McNabs "Boy Soldier" series, he may like Starship Trooper. Have Spacesuit Will Travel, Space Family Stone, Time For the Stars. All rollicking good reads.

[BerrieK]

Jeannete the boys might enjoy the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett (yes I have read them all). Funny,clever, a bit of science here and there, a lot of fantasy there and here, wizards, trolls / vampires / warewolves / other fantastic creatures, a bit of action and mystery, and a good roll on the floor laughing.

But of course everyone likes to promote their favorite reads don't they LOL.

VIVA no TV for kids. Mine (kids that is) are always happier, calmer and just nicer people when they are banned for whatever reason.


Kerrie :)

[Outbackmanyep]

Yes well....you can't watch cricket in a book can you? lol

I turned to books as well only cos there was sweet FA on the TV....sick of reality shows, sick of medical shows, sick of CSI shows.......

[AstralTraveller]

In Year 7 my English teacher gave the class The Hobbit to read and I became a lifelong Tolkienophile. I've read LOTR >20 times and still enjoy it (Ok that is obsessive). Some of my friends read it to their children when they were <10 and they loved it. In one case a 9yo read the last book by himself because dad was going too slow.

[snowyskiesau]

The best thing I did with my TV was to install a set top box that can record.
I no longer waste time in front of the TV waiting for the one program I really want to see (aren't that many), I just set up the box to records what I want to see.

I can spend time in the evening doing something constructive and maybe one or two nights a week, vege out in front of the TV to catch up.

[dpastern]

No TeleVue eyepieces? That's a bit harsh Jeanette :P

Harry Potter is awesome - very well written, superb story, excellent morals. Ignore what the Vatican has said about these books - they are a great read.

Dave

[jjjnettie]

I'm a Harry fan myself.
I love nothing more than to have a HP marathon. Either watching all the movies in one go or reading all the books one after the other.
She's made a wonderful fantasy world to retreat into.

[dpastern]

Yup, but she's also mixed mythology into the story (the hallows), and her characters are very real, or at least the way that she intertwines them into the story arc. Few authors manage to involve the reader with the characters in such a way imho.

Dave

[jjjnettie]

:lol: I know of 2 other male members on this forum who are "into" HP.
Like eating CoCo Pops for breakfast, it's nothing to be ashamed of.
It's a darn good read. No boring bits.:thumbsup:

[dpastern]

oooh, I wonder who they are!

Dave

[jjjnettie]

I'm not at liberty to divulge that information.:lol:
But both live in SEQ.

[dpastern]

hahaha. There's nothing to be ashamed of in being a Harry Potter fan. Along with the Lord of the rings and the Earthsea trilogy, it's one of the premiere works of fantasy of the 20th century imho.

Dave

[mick pinner]

it's not the television that is to blame, it's what parents allow kids to watch. 2nd behind the internet it can be a great learning tool.

[jjjnettie]

The key is moderation Mick.
(except when it comes to chocolate mud cake of course)

[Jen]

:lol::lol: Yes i noticed you wernt here JJJ ;)

Good work on getting the kids to read, my wont have a bar of it either :rolleyes:
I was going to trick them and say the TV is playing up but that wouldnt work as i have 4 TV's in the house plus a theatre room :P I cant say they are all broken :rofl:

[jjjnettie]

Easy fix Jen, just cut the cable.

[taminga16]

David,
Go to an OP Shop and buy a large format Atlas.
Greg.

I couldn't get my son to open a book, but now! And remember, Reading is a habit..

[taminga16]

A great lead-out from Harry Potter would have to be the Narnia series from C.S.Lewis, yes a little older in values, but so are the kids.

Greg.