The other day, when I was banging away on my laptop, my six year old sat down on the table opposite me, and ordered me to look anywhere except at himself. He had a pen and paper with him, and I presumed he was drawing something. A couple of minutes, he piped up, "Mamma, what is the spelling of picnic?"
By the time I spelt out 'enjoyed' and 'ghost', I knew he was upto something. Fifteen minutes of hard work later, he showed this to me-
"Bheem, Chutki, Raju, Jaggu, Kalia, Dholu and Bholu all seven are going to a picnic. And they enjoyed. Then they found a ghost. Then Kalia threw a stone in the ghost. Then the ghost fell down. And they all laughed and had lots of fun."
His first story. Not the first story he has made up (not by a long shot), but the first story that he wrote down on his own, and without prompting. I had been feeling slightly guilty about perhaps neglecting my two kids because I had been too busy penning my story. But no longer. If this is what neglect brings, neglect is what kids need!
6 comments:
This brings tears to my eyes! You've got a writer!
My daughter writes, but started a little later, I think--though she has a story she's gotten out an improved now and again that she started in 3rd grade-but I love that he had this impulse this young!
this is so touching, Rayna - he has been inSPIRED by you - so doing as you do (not as you say!!) way to go. I thought my son didn't have writerly instincts until he wrote on his blog: 'goodbye to the noughties, hurray for the tentacles: may we have our wishes tenfold.' Thought that was not only writerly but funny! So you get that young man of yours a computer next!
I love the stone was thrown IN the ghost not at it. Clearly, this child pays attention to details.
How proud you must be!
Elspeth
Love this story - rich in characters and just enough action. Good for him! and good for you too!
How delightful!
I'm a strong believer in benign neglect. Kids need the time and space to think things through, and to create whatever they wish to.
@ Tami - Twins after all. I was sniffling too as I wrote this :-)
@ Marian - your son really has a way with words
@ Elspeth - yes, VERY!!!
@ Jan - for a six year old, I guess he is good.
@ Dipali - I am beginning to realise that too.
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