Dear Snarky,
I’m so sick of kids cheating! School starts in a couple of weeks and all summer my kids have had to keep a reading log. Every year their school gives an award to the student who has read the most books and every year the same girl wins because while other kids are reading Harry Potter she’s reading what amounts to board books (and she’s a smart girl so it’s not like that’s her reading level).
Last year she wrote down that she read 115 books!!! That’s more than one a day. I doubt that really happened. Should I complain to the school about this or just suck it up and keep my mouth shut.
Signed, Book Mom
Dear Book Mom,
Yes, you should complain but not about the girl who’s enjoying revisiting the books of her infancy. Your complaint or let’s call it a concern (because it sounds better) should be directed to the school about their summer reading contest that stresses quantity over quality.
In fact, I would take it a step further and ask the school why they feel the need to turn reading into a contest? Shouldn’t it be about enjoying literature and increasing reading skills and comprehension not about how many titles you can quickly shove down your book pie hole and then regurgitate on a log sheet?
You also need to remember that your kids are already winners for embracing reading and tackling larger and more challenging books. Their prize is a bigger brain which trumps whatever lame award your school gives.
If you have a question for Dear Snarky please email me at snarkyinthesuburbs@gmail.com
Snarky in the Suburbs 