With all respect, Cloudbringer, I don't agree with you. My sister has a son about the same age as mine, but she is not like me at all, she is a very pessimistic person. She does not read any fiction at all, only history and sociology books, and she keeps telling her son real but sad stories about humanity, wars, revolutions, ... So he keeps saying that he does not like reading. But last summer, we were in holidays with my parents, my son and my nephew, but not my sister, and I bought him the first Harry Potter book. At first, he was very wary about a book given by an adult person, he accepted to read it only when my son had told him how the book was great. And ... got hooked ! I had to buy him the three next books, and I think these have totally changed his perception of reading. Wars and revolutions are educationally all right, but a children of 9 is too young, I think, for a good part of these hard truths.
Besides, a child has to have other influences than his parents to make him discover the world. I am always happy when he meets adult people different from me or my husband, so he can have the widest possible perspective on the world and choose knowingly what kind of adult he will grow to, and also become as open-minded as possible. I am currently starting to teach him a bit of English, so he can go on the Net and find friends of his own. He is very curious about all my friends on the board !
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