Rashmi's Space

Okay, first off, you are really lucky if you have a little budding reader at home! Take a bow; you are one of those rare parents who have succeeded in inculcating a love for reading in your little one; giving him a gift for life! You are also one of those exceptional parents, who not only appreciate the beauty and the significance of words, but are benevolent enough to let your little ones appreciate the magnificence of the world of words too! And this benevolence on your part entitles you to the front row seat to some of the rarest (and sometimes the quirkiest) child behaviour! Yes, as a parent intent on raising a reader, you belong to that special group extraordinary parents who get to witness the some really peculiar behaviour in your little ones! Wondering what I am talking about? Well, see for yourself – Yours is probably the only child on the block who asks for lemonade, marshmallows and midnight snacks! If you happen to meet my mom (try not to, for your own sake,...

Readers and book-lovers know only too well, the magic that lies in the world of books! And naturally, they love to introduce as many people as they can to it. You will always find them recommending and discussing about books whenever they can. And they are also the ones who carry books with them, everywhere; and at almost all times! Additionally, the reader who is also a parent, knows that a child who reads, grows to be an adult who thinks; and is keen on introducing children to this wonderful world as much as they can and as soon as they can.  But sometimes, well-meaning, enthusiastic parents, get a little carried away and despite having the right intentions; sometimes end up taking some false steps that may actually turn out to be detrimental, more than helpful.  In my journey as a reader, trying to raise a child who adores books, I too have made certain mistakes and have, along the way; put together this list of 10 mistakes to avoid when raising a reader. I have alr...

As J. K. Rowling famously says, "If you don't like to read, you haven't found the right book." Being an avid reader and having seen first hand how amazing the world of books can be, I am already a life-long fan; and as a parent, I am naturally striving to inculcate the love for books and reading in my little one too!  Needless to say, I started my efforts in this direction early on. I ensured that my baby was always surrounded by books. I myself read all the time when I was around him, sometimes even read out aloud to him. And my little one was a mere four months old when I bought him, his very own book! When I decided to raise a reader; like most parents, I listened to my instincts a bit and relied on Google a lot. And I thought I was doing a great job, till I realised that every time I visited the mall, my little one happily gravitated towards the toys' section while I wandered the book aisles in search of the perfect books for him!  That is not t...

If you are a reader, chances are, you are a book hoarder too. At any given point in time, there are bound to be books around your home, and you may even be reading several books at the same time. If you are a neatness freak, they would be properly arranged and have a place of their own, but if you are big on reading and not all that big on cleaning up, then they would be all around the place (like mine).  But , on top of being a reader and a book hoarder, if you are a parent too, then chances are, your children have access to your books all the time !  Now, on the one hand, this is a good thing. If kids see parents reading and generally see books around the house, chances are, they will develop the love of reading too, when they grow up. But there is also a downside to it - your children have access to all your books ! And this is serious.  No, I don't mean embarrassing in the 'oops, my kid got hold of my copy of Fifty Shades of Grey !'  way; (although, there...