VeenaOn this world book day, we want to talk about what we feel about books- so much gratitude, love, and friendship. As a child, most children in India relate books with academics. We read books that get us marks, help us prepare for admissions, and towards the professional lives, help us obtain a certification. But is it really the purpose of books? Books are teachers, friends, and family. You heard that right. Exactly as we cannot have transactional relationships with these people, we cannot be transactional with a book. In fact, textbooks are the worst versions of books because you hate reading them, they are laborious, and you tend to forget about them after the exams.
How much we try to avoid books, those who truly understand the purpose of books, are the ones who become true leaders and find their purpose in life. There are different types of books for kids depending on their ages and interest. Read more on the types of books for kids of various ages.
Books are for winners
While this heading may make people feel that the more you read, the more you win at a race – board exams or class tests. What we are saying, however, is exactly opposite of that. Books tell you the truth that your true competition is YOU! And winning the race of your life against yourself is truly the greater purpose of your life. Becoming the best possible version of yourself is the end battle. As mentioned in this blog, those who read seven or more books per year are more than 122 percent more likely to be millionaires. But this is not all about money (who doesn’t want more). It is much more than that. The world book day shows us the bigger picture beyond text books.
Books are experiences
Books keep your mind occupied and take you into a world you cannot possibly live with your current circumstances. You become a hero, an animal, a space traveller – you name it, and someone has written a book about it. We all have lived a life in the dorm when we read Harry Potter or even visualised the hare and tortoise while reading the book about their race. You can sleep through a movie, stay self engaged at a theatre, but you have to live through the book to truly read it.
Books are beyond academics
Before your child can read alphabets, they learn to read images. Images help them identify things from day-to-day life. As they read more, they know about the world beyond their access. Books give them ideas, understanding, empathy, and everything it takes to become a winner. Academics books are devised to teach the bare minimum required to be successful with an assumption that the pupil will explore the rest on their own time. It is a true shame that many children today cannot read/write in their native language because it is not a part of their academics.More than anyone, parents should all take books seriously.
Which format you read books in – kindle, hard cover, computers, is up to you; but building reading habits right from infancy, can set your child up for success for the rest of their lives. Even bedtime reading has huge benefits for children in the short and long term. On this world book day, we urge parents to take a pledge to promote their children to read books beyond academics.