How A Mum's Reading Habit Helped Her Son's English & Vocabulary

Mum devoured books, and it inspired me to read

For many people, being a science student is an excuse for not having time for other books except those on science subjects. But Mr Soetan Olanrewaju who studied Electrical Engineering said nothing can separate him from reading. Reading became a habit right from his primary school days when he used to watch his mother devour as many books as she could.

Today, his books are as important to him as the air he breathes. He told Daily Sun that each book he reads must contribute something that will move his life forward. For him, there is no point engaging in idleness while pretending to read meaningless books.

Reading culture

I started reading from the later part of my primary school days and I think I was influenced by my mother’s love for books. Then my mum used to read many books irrespective of the sizes of such books. She also loved novels and each time she read any interesting story, she would call us- her children- to relay the story.

When she read King Solomon’s Mines, and later told us the story, we used to tease one another with the names especially when any of us acted foolishly. That in a way stimulated my appetite for stories and I could not wait for my mother to tell us more. So I started reading the books myself.

When I grew older, I discovered that I could speak English better than most of my peers and my teachers used to ask where I got some of the vocabularies I used from. I also discovered that whenever I read, it usually affected the way I wrote too. So I became older than my age in knowledge acquisition. During my final stages in secondary school, I discovered that the more I read, the better I wrote, and I wrote many of the essays they gave us then wonderfully well.

Reading habit

I try to read a voluminous book every month but for books of just over a hundred pages, I finish those in two days. Mostly, I read Motivational, Management and Leadership books. I also love comics just as I love reading extremely funny stories. I read these especially when I am stressed mentally.

Memorable book(s)

I have read so many books but I read one recently that changed many things in me. That was Franklin Koffe’s book entitled The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. After reading the book, I changed the way I used to talk. Such books have made great impact on my life. Also, Mike Murdock’s books on dreams have affected me positively.

Reading culture of Nigerians

We are still reluctant readers. The young ones who read tend to tilt towards novels like Mills and Boons. However, there are changes taking place and more people are waking up to the advantages of reading. However, people should read books that can actually affect their lives positively. I feel that if I have to sit down for hours reading a book, the book should be capable of producing something tangible in my life. It must be one that can affect my outlook, my job and every other thing around me positively. In other words, it must add value to my life.

People should give greater attention to books on Management, Motivation and leadership. We encourage books on religion because we must develop our spiritual nature so that apart from having the knowledge, we must also have a spiritual dimension to issues like finance. This is because there are problems that mere human wisdom cannot solve. Reading books usually is for developmental purposes, so there is need to read boks that can build up our mind and spirit.

Encouraging reading

Reading is not easy. By nature, some people cannot sit down for hours to read. But despite the predominance of CDs and audio tapes, people usually say that readers are leaders. If you want to be a leader, you must be ahead of those you lead in terms of the ideas that run through your mind. If you look at the rewards, it should be enough to motivate one to read.

Procuring books

I buy books much. Also, I collect books on credit and pay at the end of the month. I have a mini library where I have books on Management, Leadership and Motivation from all my favourite authors. I have major books on Finance wriiten by David Oyedepo and Mike Murdock. Then I have books on health because if one is not healthy, one can hardly do anything.

Books are treasures

At the close of the 20th Century, Times Magazine declared Albert Einstein as the Most Brilliant person that ever walked on the surface of the Earth. Before then, they had considered other highly intelligent men, leaders of nations and so many others from every corner of the globe.

Albert Einstein was the one who said that one cannot solve a problem at the same level one was when the problem was created. That means that for you to move to the next level of effectiveness, your values and ideas must first change from the inside. One of the ways changes can happen within a person is by reading. When you read books by professors and other highly effective authors, you are actually interacting with them. You are reading what came from their hours and years of research. There is no way you can remain the same after interacting with people like Einstein and Koffe if their ideas get into your mind and you allow these ideas to influence your actions.

So when one reads, one must move to the next level. Reading increases the idea in our minds and helps us to take more positive actions and then everything around us cannot help but respond.

Source:

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/arts/2005/nov/15/arts-15-11-2005-001.htm

Quotes:

He never pays attention, he always knows the answer, and he can never tell you how he knows. We can't keep thrashing him. He is a bad example to the other pupils. There's no educating a smart boy. -- Terry Pratchett

If we were TV sets, some of us would only get five channels. Others are wired for cable (the general population) and some of us (the gifted) are hooked up to a satellite dish. That makes these gifted children capable of making connections that others don't even know exist! Teaching those types of voracious minds in a regular classroom without enhancement is like feeding an elephant one blade of grass at time. You'll starve them. -- Elizabeth Meckstroth.