Cody and A Child Called It
Cody came home from school yesterday and tells me, "I am reading a book about the most horrific case of child abuse ever reported in the state of California." I knew exactly what book he was speaking of, A Child Called It. I picked it up in a book store one time, opened it, read a paragraph, teared up and immediately put it down and couldn't believe that anyone could possibly make it through that kind of awful, sad, REAL information and not be haunted for the rest of their life...so of course, Cody is reading it.
I let it go and didn't say anything because with teens, if you push, they push back 100x harder. So later I see him reading THE BOOK instead of watching TV. I shudder at what is going into his brain at this very moment. The only positive thing that MAY come from him reading this book is that he may realize that I am not the MEANEST mom in the world? There is now proof that there is someone out there way meaner than me.
As 9:30 p.m. rolls around he softly says "night mom," from the hall and of course I stop him and call him into the family room.
Me: "Hey, ya gonna come in here and say goodnight?"
Cody: "I guess."
Me: "I know about that book you are reading, I read a paragraph in it once and it was so sad I couldn't put it down fast enough. Why did you pick that book? It is so sad."
Cody "A teacher recommended that we read it. It is the #4 most checked out book at our school."
My head is spinning. A TEACHER RECOMMENDED THAT MY 14 YEAR OLD READ ABOUT A BABY BEING STABBED, BURNED, STARVED FOR 10 DAYS....IS THIS HAPPENING?
Cody: "That means, out of the last 3 years, this is one of the most read books in the entire school."
Me: "I just don't understand why you would want to put all of that awful, sad information into your head for the rest of your life? I don't know why you would want to know about all of that? And I really don't understand why a teacher or a school would feel that out of all of the wonderful books, THAT is the one that all you poor kids are being told to read?"
He then proceeded to compare this woman's mothering to Hitler and the Concentration Camps. I am not sure if this is something the school has taught him or he is making the connection himself. I am not seeing it, but I say nothing. At least if he read about Hitler and the Concentration Camps he would be learning something that would help him understand about history, a people, a nation. What is he learing about in this book?
I know there are horrible things in this world and NO, we can't just bury our heads in the sand and pretend they don't exist, but I DO know that to read about some poor little boy who was abused by his mother to such an extent, that I could only make it through one paragraph, is cruel and unusual punishment to the human psyche. Especially a 14 year old psyche.
If we want to read about abuse, that will alter the minds of our youth in a positive way, that will change their behavior, that will empower them to be strong citizens of this nation, lets give them books about slavery. Let's teach them about the horrors of the Concentration Camps and the plight of the Jew. Lets show them how the Irish and Italians struggled when they came to this nation and worked they hands to the bone, living in tent camps with their families as they watched their children die. How about we introduce books about homosexual teens that have been murdered, bullied and left for dead. Let's give them something to read that will change the way they look at the world they live in, to educate, empower and will inspire to be better people.
Don't get me wrong, I am sure there is a place for knowledge about child abuse, and I am sure that a small percentage of the teens that read that book will now alter their path to help abused children, but I just think that when you learn about something that is going to change the very DNA in your body, that will change your brain chemistry because the information is so disturbing, it should benefit your life in some way.
And no, I don't every think we should censor books, I just think that if we are in a school setting, we should suggest books that will benefit our kids.
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I let it go and didn't say anything because with teens, if you push, they push back 100x harder. So later I see him reading THE BOOK instead of watching TV. I shudder at what is going into his brain at this very moment. The only positive thing that MAY come from him reading this book is that he may realize that I am not the MEANEST mom in the world? There is now proof that there is someone out there way meaner than me.
As 9:30 p.m. rolls around he softly says "night mom," from the hall and of course I stop him and call him into the family room.
Me: "Hey, ya gonna come in here and say goodnight?"
Cody: "I guess."
Me: "I know about that book you are reading, I read a paragraph in it once and it was so sad I couldn't put it down fast enough. Why did you pick that book? It is so sad."
Cody "A teacher recommended that we read it. It is the #4 most checked out book at our school."
My head is spinning. A TEACHER RECOMMENDED THAT MY 14 YEAR OLD READ ABOUT A BABY BEING STABBED, BURNED, STARVED FOR 10 DAYS....IS THIS HAPPENING?
Cody: "That means, out of the last 3 years, this is one of the most read books in the entire school."
Me: "I just don't understand why you would want to put all of that awful, sad information into your head for the rest of your life? I don't know why you would want to know about all of that? And I really don't understand why a teacher or a school would feel that out of all of the wonderful books, THAT is the one that all you poor kids are being told to read?"
He then proceeded to compare this woman's mothering to Hitler and the Concentration Camps. I am not sure if this is something the school has taught him or he is making the connection himself. I am not seeing it, but I say nothing. At least if he read about Hitler and the Concentration Camps he would be learning something that would help him understand about history, a people, a nation. What is he learing about in this book?
I know there are horrible things in this world and NO, we can't just bury our heads in the sand and pretend they don't exist, but I DO know that to read about some poor little boy who was abused by his mother to such an extent, that I could only make it through one paragraph, is cruel and unusual punishment to the human psyche. Especially a 14 year old psyche.
If we want to read about abuse, that will alter the minds of our youth in a positive way, that will change their behavior, that will empower them to be strong citizens of this nation, lets give them books about slavery. Let's teach them about the horrors of the Concentration Camps and the plight of the Jew. Lets show them how the Irish and Italians struggled when they came to this nation and worked they hands to the bone, living in tent camps with their families as they watched their children die. How about we introduce books about homosexual teens that have been murdered, bullied and left for dead. Let's give them something to read that will change the way they look at the world they live in, to educate, empower and will inspire to be better people.
Don't get me wrong, I am sure there is a place for knowledge about child abuse, and I am sure that a small percentage of the teens that read that book will now alter their path to help abused children, but I just think that when you learn about something that is going to change the very DNA in your body, that will change your brain chemistry because the information is so disturbing, it should benefit your life in some way.
And no, I don't every think we should censor books, I just think that if we are in a school setting, we should suggest books that will benefit our kids.
Like what you read today? Post it to your Facebook page so everyone can read it! Click below to share!
mom im reading this at school
ReplyDeletelol...Cody, you are funny
ReplyDeleteI have read this book. It is disturbing but it is important to follow it up with the book the man wrote following this called A Man called Dave. It's message is strong and positive. I would seriously consider calling the school. I have read this book and I know Cody is smart and will make strong links but it is a VERY difficult story.
ReplyDelete