Disturbing Assigned Reading

[Anonymous]

My DD is a Senior and is currently reading an assigned book that takes place in Afghanistan and is very violent. She told me she is having nightmares but is only half way through. I have read the book and the treatment and brutality towards women is horrifying but I don’t know what to advise my DD to do.

[Anonymous]

Tell her to stop reading the book and have her talk to the teacher about why.

[Anonymous]

Why don’t HS kids today read the classics?

[Anonymous]

Have her stop reading it and request a different book from the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Is it Kite Runner? My child had to read that in ninth grade and found it extremely disturbing.

[Anonymous]

I would tell my kids to feel lucky.

[Anonymous]

Which book is it? It’s real like for some people I would probably have her keep reading except maybe not at bedtime. My 5th grader just read the Breadwinner which is about a girl in Afghanistan who has to pretend she’s a boy so she can work and support the family, it’s got some graphic context including someone’s hand being chopped off. It’s real life for people in other countries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it Kite Runner? My child had to read that in ninth grade and found it extremely disturbing.

A Thousand Splendid Sons by the same author.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it Kite Runner? My child had to read that in ninth grade and found it extremely disturbing.

Mine had to read it in 6th but they never said anything about it or led me to believe it was violent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a Senior and is currently reading an assigned book that takes place in Afghanistan and is very violent. She told me she is having nightmares but is only half way through. I have read the book and the treatment and brutality towards women is horrifying but I don’t know what to advise my DD to do.

If your DD has been diagnosed or if you suspect she’s having diagnosable psychological issues, etc, talk to a professional and disregard my advice. But if this were my daughter (I have 2 teens), I’d encourage her to read it. Sheltering near-adults from the brutal, uncomfortable truths of the world doesn’t benefit society or your daughter in the long run. Ignorance about abhorrent, brutal reality is not bliss. I’d concurrently offer her tons of opportunities to talk about the book and her feelings and would try to remind her how safe and loved she is at home, though. And I would encourage her to follow that book up with something light (which is what I like to do after I read an emotionally tough book).

[Anonymous]

Your child is almost an adult. I doubt the teacher assigned it by accident or sensationalism. What can she learn from this?

I don't think it's wrong to assign disturbing reading for a good reason, but I hope they talk about it in class and give the kids a chance to discuss their feelings about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a Senior and is currently reading an assigned book that takes place in Afghanistan and is very violent. She told me she is having nightmares but is only half way through. I have read the book and the treatment and brutality towards women is horrifying but I don’t know what to advise my DD to do.

If your DD has been diagnosed or if you suspect she’s having diagnosable psychological issues, etc, talk to a professional and disregard my advice. But if this were my daughter (I have 2 teens), I’d encourage her to read it. Sheltering near-adults from the brutal, uncomfortable truths of the world doesn’t benefit society or your daughter in the long run. Ignorance about abhorrent, brutal reality is not bliss. I’d concurrently offer her tons of opportunities to talk about the book and her feelings and would try to remind her how safe and loved she is at home, though. And I would encourage her to follow that book up with something light (which is what I like to do after I read an emotionally tough book).

+1. I'd also look at what other media she may be consuming that could be causing nightmares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a Senior and is currently reading an assigned book that takes place in Afghanistan and is very violent. She told me she is having nightmares but is only half way through. I have read the book and the treatment and brutality towards women is horrifying but I don’t know what to advise my DD to do.

If your DD has been diagnosed or if you suspect she’s having diagnosable psychological issues, etc, talk to a professional and disregard my advice. But if this were my daughter (I have 2 teens), I’d encourage her to read it. Sheltering near-adults from the brutal, uncomfortable truths of the world doesn’t benefit society or your daughter in the long run. Ignorance about abhorrent, brutal reality is not bliss. I’d concurrently offer her tons of opportunities to talk about the book and her feelings and would try to remind her how safe and loved she is at home, though. And I would encourage her to follow that book up with something light (which is what I like to do after I read an emotionally tough book).

+2 Your senior should be old enough to handle this book. Talk to her about it, and help her process the infomation. What type of books does she enjoy reading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Kite Runner? My child had to read that in ninth grade and found it extremely disturbing.

Mine had to read it in 6th but they never said anything about it or led me to believe it was violent.

There was a violent rape of a teen boy among other things.

[Anonymous]

When I taught AP Literature I assigned The Bluest Eye, which includes child sexual abuse. I had a student and their parent complain that it was too upsetting. The school was prepared to back me up . . . these were seniors in a college level course being assigned Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, etc. But ultimately as a human being I had to say, you know what, I get it . . . this is a tough book. The student was more than willing to read a different book, so that's what we did.

I would encourage my child to talk to the teacher and ask if she can read an alternate book.