Teaching Kids How To Treat Books

[Josiegirl]

Many of my books are getting ruined. I went to pick a book off the book stand to read today and one of the dcks had put a 'book' back, all torn out, pages were everywhere. I found some pages torn out of another book yesterday. No accidents, all deliberate. So I gathered up all my books that are not board books and have them put away. With 3 2 yos, I understand this will happen. But the one who tore the most recent finds, is 3 1/2. I don't get it. And her mom is a teacher.

[Annalee]

Many of my books are getting ruined. I went to pick a book off the book stand to read today and one of the dcks had put a 'book' back, all torn out, pages were everywhere. I found some pages torn out of another book yesterday. No accidents, all deliberate. So I gathered up all my books that are not board books and have them put away. With 3 2 yos, I understand this will happen. But the one who tore the most recent finds, is 3 1/2. I don't get it. And her mom is a teacher.

An aunt of one of my dc families which is a teacher come here years ago and talked to my children about books being treasures. Since that time, I use that terminology when the children are using the reading center. It has come through the years through the kids conversation as well. We do still have wear and tear but the children learned quickly that if we do not treat treasures/books appropriately they lose that privilege. I would just bet, the teacher parent you have doesn't let her students tear up HER books.

[Jack Sprat]

I call the books our treasures as well! Maybe its a teacher thing. I have one dcb 23 months that is always stepping on books and rolling them up. Drives me bonkers! ! He is still learning how we treat our treasures. My other dck's are very respectful of books. Makes me wonder how books are treated at dcb's house.

[Leigh]

I have a 3.5 yo who was like this with books, too. I finally banned him from touching books for an entire month. When he got his privileges back, he had to be supervised with them for a while. He treats them like gold now.