Pilgrim’s Progress: Shepherding a Child’s Imagination, pt.2

Last week, I introduced our new series based on Pilgrim’s Progress.  (Here’s the original post.) In it, I mentioned our free family devotional guide to accompany the children’s picture book, Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin.  And I also pointed out that I have been asked to help host a Pilgrim’s Progress party at a church in SC next Monday.  Such an honor to get to play and learn alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Today, I begin a two-part series based on a talk I’ll be giving at the end of the party.  It follows the Pilgrim’s Progress format, and I hope it will cover the basics of what we’re all about here at Redeemedreader, as well as how and why parents and educators are called to shepherd a child’s imagination.   So, let’s jump right in, shall we?

Our Burden

Redeemedreader was founded in 2011 by Janie Cheaney, Senior Writer for World Magazine and award-winning novelist for young readers, and Emily Whitten, former Editorial Assistant at Peachtree Publishers and current World Magazine movie reviewer.

 We founded Redeemedreader because we want to help parents and educators shoulder the burden of shepherding their children through the literary landscape.  We live in a sinful world, and as a result, authors, books, and readers all bear the marks of sin.  But because Christian readers have been redeemed, we don’t have to just consume stories—in fact, we can scrutinize them, weigh them, and ultimately, seek Christ and His wisdom through them.  Which brings me to our mission statement: our mission  is to shine a gospel light on children’s literature so that Christian parents, educators, and the children they nurture may read in a more redeemed and redeeming way.

The Journey

On the one hand, some parents are unaware of the temptations in kids’ books and media, and they throw their kids to the lions. Others so completely shelter their kids that the children get eaten alive once they come of age.  In contrast to both these follies, the role of a good shepherd is to help a child progress from a very dependent, protected state to complete independence in his later teens. The goal here isn’t only to raise kids who are pure of heart, but to teach them how to live in a decadent society without being overcome by evil.

The pace of that journey will be different for every child, and it’s important to realize that this is a SPIRITUAL journey we’re talking about. It’s not just about memorizing a list of worldviews or keeping her off the wrong library shelf.  Ultimately, wisdom is always a heart issue, so pray for your child, instruct her, and do your best to give her the tools she’ll need to consume media wisely. Teach her to guard her heart from a love of evil things, as well as from an inordinate love of good things. And teach her to go to Him directly about the things she reads or watches—to pray herself, and seek His guidance as to how He might use the stories she encounters for His glory.

The World, The Flesh, and The Devil

The Bible tells us that we are in a battle against spiritual powers and principalities.  From the account of Christ’s temptation in the wilderness, it’s clear that we need God’s Word for that battle. And before you can have personal access to God’s Word, you have to be able to read.  But most of our society today is so plugged in that they can’t hear the Word at all.

Case in point, I talked to a woman recently who complained that her grandchildren just wouldn’t read. When I suggested that she try letting them listen to a book on tape in the car sometime, she said that the kids already have a DVD player and hand-held devices that keep them occupied on trips. I gently hinted that she might have to unplug once in a while…. I’m not saying ereaders of DVD players are bad, but kids who have constant access to visual media probably aren’t going to put them down, especially boys.

So, if you’re ready to unplug and get your kids excited about the written word, here are a few practical suggestions:

1. Get them bored over a pile of books. Even broccoli starts to look good if you’re hungry enough!

2. Read books together. Easy ones as well as HARD ones. For instance, in addition to four or five simple picture books, I recommend reading the real Bible text every day with kids from the time they can sit still.  Help them learn to listen quietly, but also make it interactive. Start small, with just a few paragraphs.  Read one sentence, summarize it for them, and then ask them a question or stand up and act it out.  I bet you’ll be amazed at how much they take in.

3. Let them choose. Kids who choose some of the books they read, within reason, have ownership over their reading. Which would you prefer: a $10 bookstore giftcard or someone’s assigned reading list?

4. Keep books on hand about events, places, and ideas that excite them. If you’re kid’s a cowboy, check out David Harrison’s cowboy poems from the library.

5. Watch for signs of physical problems. Sometimes kids who can’t read well struggle with dyslexia, light sensitivity, or other physical issues. If you suspect this might be true, call your local literacy council or go to www.johncorcoranfoundation.org.

And one last note: if you’ve tried everything and your kid still doesn’t like to read?  Don’t sweat it.  I don’t particularly like making supper every night, but I do it because I have to.  Try to help your child see the usefulness of reading, even if she doesn’t enjoy it.  It will be a skill she can draw on throughout her life when she needs it.

Do you guys have any tricks for getting kids excited about reading? I’d love to hear them if you do!

Next week, I’ll follow up with pt. 3, in which I’ll try to describe the most common pitfalls of kids’ literature today.  And maybe I can share a few pictures from our Pilgrim’s Progress event on Monday.  (Prayers very much appreciated!)