The Merits of Reading Real Books to Your Children

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by meeera

Maybe it is. There is solid demographic research that ereader adoption skews much older than adoption of pretty much any other electronic tech. Maybe because older people read more, maybe because the font enlargement helps, maybe other factors too.

Most of the smartest techy/geekish people I know are women older than 50. So I'm really sick of "grandma" or "your aunt" or "your mum" being held up as the somehow obvious example of someone who must be ignorant and terrified of technology.

My mom had an ereader and a computer long before I did. Note she is 68. She is also going to university.
Now if you looked at my neighborhood, except maybe the corner houses, we are severely lacking in technology. Oh don't get me wrong, all the grown children have smartphones.
I am pretty sure that is just demographics. None of them have books either. And says absolutely nothing about what most older folks own or don't own.

Some people embrace technology and others don't.
My husband doesn't use an ereader. He knows how to use one, he chooses not too.

Oh and my mother gets flustered at times by her computer. That has nothing to do with her age.

[ekbell]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

My mom had an ereader and a computer long before I did. Note she is 68. She is also going to university.
Now if you looked at my neighborhood, except maybe the corner houses, we are severely lacking in technology. Oh don't get me wrong, all the grown children have smartphones.
I am pretty sure that is just demographics. None of them have books either. And says absolutely nothing about what most older folks own or don't own.

Some people embrace technology and others don't.
My husband doesn't use an ereader. He knows how to use one, he chooses not too.

Oh and my mother gets flustered at times by her computer. That has nothing to do with her age.

My mom (also 60+) uses linux on principle and loves public domain book sites. I can't remember her being flustered by an computer, frustrated yes, flustered no She reads off her laptop not an ereader.

But then mom was using computers at university in the very early 70's, obtained a commodore 64 at a time when we didn't actually have a TV and the household hasn't been without a computer since.

My dad on the other hand (the slowest typist I've ever seen) is not very comfortable with doing more then web-browsing. He now has a tablet (no keyboard) but I'm not sure how much use he makes of it.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ekbell

My mom (also 60+) uses linux on principle and loves public domain book sites. I can't remember her being flustered by an computer, frustrated yes, flustered no She reads off her laptop not an ereader.

But then mom was using computers at university in the very early 70's, obtained a commodore 64 at a time when we didn't actually have a TV and the household hasn't been without a computer since.

My dad on the other hand (the slowest typist I've ever seen) is not very comfortable with doing more then web-browsing. He now has a tablet (no keyboard) but I'm not sure how much use he makes of it.

Now my father died in 1998 but he never bothered with technology. He did buy my brother a TRS-80 back in 1982. I got mag wheels attached to a 1975 Pinto station wagon.

My stepdad just got his first smartphone. The reason is a friend (older than him) has a web-enabled phone. Stepdad already had a computer and a tablet and an ereader. He is 76.

Oh mom also has a computer based sewing machine.

[pendragginp]

Originally Posted by HarryT

This is fundamentally a problem with the English language, which uses the word "book" for both the literary work and the container it's presented in.

Yes, exactly.

[QuantumIguana]

My daughter just started 4th grade. She reads at a 7th grade level. She had the books that she could chew on, they were for her to read. When I read to her, I read her books that were more challenging that what she could read herself. She would interrupt me often to ask about what I had read to her, and then we would take the time to talk about the idea she wanted to now more about.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

My daughter just started 4th grade. She reads at a 7th grade level. She had the books that she could chew on, they were for her to read. When I read to her, I read her books that were more challenging that what she could read herself. She would interrupt me often to ask about what I had read to her, and then we would take the time to talk about the idea she wanted to now more about.

This.

I'd ask everyone to recall where they were sitting (or lying down if they were) when being read to... And where and how you sit now if you are reading to your kids. And how you felt at the time...

My memories of being read to by my Mum are warm and fuzzy. I would be on her lap, or she would be sitting with me on my bed, me under the covers and her with an arm around me, whilst we read a book. It wasnt just about reading, it was also about bonding, which is just as important, I think. Without that, I doubt that I would have become the avid reader that I am now.

If I had children, I would be reading to them from paper books. Its a together thing. If they wanted ebooks when they were reading independently, fine... But I just dont get the same sense of togetherness from the notion of reading to a child from a tablet/ereader (in spite of those being my own preferred media these days).

[ekbell]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

This.

I'd ask everyone to recall where they were sitting (or lying down if they were) when being read to... And where and how you sit now if you are reading to your kids. And how you felt at the time...

My memories of being read to by my Mum are warm and fuzzy. I would be on her lap, or she would be sitting with me on my bed, me under the covers and her with an arm around me, whilst we read a book. It wasnt just about reading, it was also about bonding, which is just as important, I think. Without that, I doubt that I would have become the avid reader that I am now.

If I had children, I would be reading to them from paper books. Its a together thing. If they wanted ebooks when they were reading independently, fine... But I just dont get the same sense of togetherness from the notion of reading to a child from a tablet/ereader (in spite of those being my own preferred media these days).

I spent an (un)reasonable amount of time today reading to my five year old from my tablet while cuddling on my bed, propping the book on my middle and turning pages with one hand while she lay on my other shoulder. Snuggling close and cozy, enjoying the leisurely quiet of being the only people at home.

With my older children I would have had to move them off my shoulder so that I could turn pages, still cuddling but not quite as close. Reading to a child sitting on the couch or on a blanket outside is pretty much the same be it reading from paper or my tablet, the child or children still sit on my lap or press close to my side.

I'm now being requested to read more 'stories from the tablet'

[LadyKate]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I can both acknowledge that the usage of the word "book" has changed while protesting that change itself. I don't like that the word has less meaning now than it used to; it seems to be a step backwards. Again, I'll bring up the example of a bound volume with four novels in it. Is it one book or four? It's hard to say with the new usage, but crystal clear with the old. Something has been lost.

I've also been trying hard to explain why saying that something isn't a "real book" isn't an insult, but it's falling on deaf ears. So be it, be insulted then. I'm giving up trying to keep you from that.

You must admit, that it becomes somewhat confusing if a person were to say "Have you read the new book by their_fav_author?" and the blind man (as does the busy commuter) says "No. I listened to the verbal perfomance of the work of their_fav_author." and the person who prefers electronic books (you appear to prefer that term to ebooks) would say "No, I read an electronic version of the contents of that publication by their_fav_author."

It is so much easier for all involved to say yes, I read that book. We never used to question our blind friends using "read" when they listened to a book.

Then again, when they first came out with paperbacks the "purists" felt they were not real books either.

[LadyKate]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Have I said I love you lately.
And I agree Curious George, Put me in the zoo and all the Dr. Seuss books would lose a lot on an ereader.
A tablet wouldn't be quite so bad.

I would think that sitting back with your child on your lap or beside you, with the book open on a computer screen... large, in living color. Bright even... would be a wonderful way to read to the child.

[LadyKate]

Originally Posted by ekbell

My personal pet peeve is the use of the term 'box set' when referring to an ebook omnibus. Why use a term referring to a particular physical setup when the terms collection and omnibus exist?

Perhaps it is my age, but I understand the box set. In the 80s and 90s it was common to buy a "box set" of paperbacks. There would be a number of paperbacks in a lightweight cardboard box. (the image at this link is of a paperback box set https://store.scholastic.com/Books/B...r-Book-Box-Set )

It has carried over to ebooks where unless it is a set of a certain number of ebooks it should be named omnibus.

[LadyKate]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

IF you know how it works. 81-y/o grandma would rather wait until the next day, phone / go to the local bookstore to see if there's a book she'd want, and the go have it ordered or pick it up.

That is if she can read the tiny print (not that many books are available in large print. BTW. At what point are we considered to be senior?). If she has problems with her vision she may find reading on a tablet or even a laptop easier.

If you setup a "soup to nuts" solution for her, she will use it. I'm willing to bet she keeps up with her grandkids by email or at least gets their latest pictures that way already.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by ekbell

My personal pet peeve is the use of the term 'box set' when referring to an ebook omnibus. Why use a term referring to a particular physical setup when the terms collection and omnibus exist?

Hell, I still tape things on my sky box, hang up the phone, dial a number, rewind/fast forward part of a program. Oh yeah, and carbon copy people into emails.

Terms people are used to generally stick around long after they are relevant.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Hell, I still tape things on my sky box, hang up the phone, dial a number, rewind/fast forward part of a program. Oh yeah, and carbon copy people into emails.

Terms people are used to generally stick around long after they are relevant.

True dat.

I also hear my mobile phone ring, and since I use an old fashioned phone bell sound as a ringtone, it's still relevant in my case.

But, not for nothing, while it's true there is no unwinding tape that needs to be rewound, "fast forward" is still perfectly accurate and technology agnostic.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Hell, I still tape things on my sky box, hang up the phone, dial a number, rewind/fast forward part of a program. Oh yeah, and carbon copy people into emails.

Terms people are used to generally stick around long after they are relevant.

The term was created to fit the original situation
Let us use one of your examples: 'Hang up the Phone'

The early phones were 2 pieces. The Ear Piece (magnetic traducer) was held to your ear. The Microphone (Carbon granules) was very sensitive to vibration and was part of the 'base' unit to reduce noise) Early (and rural ) phones also had 'Local Battery' inside. When you were done with the call, you hung the ear piece onto a 'Hook Switch' that disconnected that Battery.

The terms Hook Switch, Battery, Dial, Main Frame, Plug Board and many others are still in use within the Tele/Datacom industry

How about "The Engine won't Crank"?
'Crack the whip'?
Some terms became 'Tradition' long after the actual cause for creation has passed.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by theducks

The term was created to fit the original situation
Let us use one of your examples: 'Hang up the Phone'

Who did you think needed an explaination of what "hang up a phone" meant?
And...."Crack the whip" is merely figurarive, not at all the same thing as the other examples.