Do you let your kid read Diary of a Wimpy kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Boys do not want to read books about pigs falling in love with spiders, as much as their moms loved it. This expectation has led to so many "reluctant readers" among boys and Jeff Kinney has said outright that he had those boys in mind when he wrote the Wimpy Kid series. Your SON IS READING FOR FUN. Be thrilled. Do all you can do encourage that. And use the opportunity to teach him that the behavior seen in books (tv, video games, friends' houses) isn't always appropriate in your home. It's a good lesson and the right time to learn it.

Some boys like Charlotte's Web, other boys don't. Some girls like Charlotte's Web, other girls don't. Some boys (and girls) like the Wimpy Kid series, other boys (and girls) don't.

(Also, Charlotte's Web is not a book about a pig falling in love with a spider. I don't like the book (and I'm a former girl), but good grief.)

My boy would hate Charlotte Web. Most boys would hate it too. Sorry, boys and girls are different, gender neutrality is not a think. If David Reiner had not killed himself, he could tell you that himself.

Yes, I think that we're all clear on the idea that boys and girls are different. But people don't read books with their genitals.

They also don't play with their toys with their genitals. Doesn't change the fact that girls prefer dolls over trucks and boys prefer trucks over dolls. This is overwhelming. Boys and girls are different and it goes far beyond their genitals.

Wow, you've really got it all figured out. My DS likes playing with dolls. I guess I should send him back to the store for a model that prefers trucks.

[Anonymous]

You may want to develop a sense of humor, OP. Greg is a pain -- and that is the whole point of the books. He's self-centered to a fault, and it often gets him in trouble. And at the end of the day, he's usually learned a lesson whether he knows it or not.

These books grew on me. Then I hated "Big Nate" but they've grown on me, too. As long as they're reading ...

I still dislike "Weird School," but I don't ban them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They also don't play with their toys with their genitals. Doesn't change the fact that girls prefer dolls over trucks and boys prefer trucks over dolls. This is overwhelming. Boys and girls are different and it goes far beyond their genitals.

You are free to give your girls girl toys and girl books, and your boys boy toys and boy books, if that is what you want to do. Other people allow their individual children to make their own choices.

Nobody said access should not be granted to boys and girls to all types of toys. Just don't be shocked if your boy doesn't want to play barbies. Gender neutrality has been debunked by SCIENCE. in particular Dr John Money's work to prove gender neutrality was an epic failure.

Educate yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They also don't play with their toys with their genitals. Doesn't change the fact that girls prefer dolls over trucks and boys prefer trucks over dolls. This is overwhelming. Boys and girls are different and it goes far beyond their genitals.

You are free to give your girls girl toys and girl books, and your boys boy toys and boy books, if that is what you want to do. Other people allow their individual children to make their own choices.

Nobody said access should not be granted to boys and girls to all types of toys. Just don't be shocked if your boy doesn't want to play barbies. Gender neutrality has been debunked by SCIENCE. in particular Dr John Money's work to prove gender neutrality was an epic failure.

Educate yourself.

I won't be shocked if my boy doesn't want to play with Barbies/trucks, or if my boy does want to play with Barbies/trucks, or if my girl does want to play with Barbies/ trucks, or if my girl doesn't want to play with Barbies/trucks. How about you? What does SCIENCE say about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids in 1st grade started reading the series. I think it is rubbish and an older version of a whiny Callou. However, there is something to be said of friends getting excited and sharing book recommendations and having things to chat about. They are mowing though Rick Riodian books chatting which series they like better and why. My DS (2d grader) bounces between light books, like Notebook of Doom series, silly like Captain Underpants, to stuff like Jinx, Chronicles of Narnia, Bone Witch.

The stupid Notebook of Doom series is killing me...but is getting my slow 2nd grade reader to read. I actually like Cpt. Underpants. It's so silly that it's silly again...does that make sense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Boys do not want to read books about pigs falling in love with spiders, as much as their moms loved it. This expectation has led to so many "reluctant readers" among boys and Jeff Kinney has said outright that he had those boys in mind when he wrote the Wimpy Kid series. Your SON IS READING FOR FUN. Be thrilled. Do all you can do encourage that. And use the opportunity to teach him that the behavior seen in books (tv, video games, friends' houses) isn't always appropriate in your home. It's a good lesson and the right time to learn it.

Some boys like Charlotte's Web, other boys don't. Some girls like Charlotte's Web, other girls don't. Some boys (and girls) like the Wimpy Kid series, other boys (and girls) don't.

(Also, Charlotte's Web is not a book about a pig falling in love with a spider. I don't like the book (and I'm a former girl), but good grief.)

My boy would hate Charlotte Web. Most boys would hate it too. Sorry, boys and girls are different, gender neutrality is not a think. If David Reiner had not killed himself, he could tell you that himself.

Yes, I think that we're all clear on the idea that boys and girls are different. But people don't read books with their genitals.

or their cells.

I hated that stupid pig and the spider...but then again, I do love bacon.
And Wrinkle in time turned me off to sci fi for decades...
I'm back now. If we can really grow an ear on a mouse and give a pig valve to a human, I can tolerate some sci fi

[Anonymous]

Dr. John Money isn't a particularly well respected scientist...

To get that 8 yr old to stop it with the silly speech, have you tried positive reinforcement?

I haven't worked with it but have changed some of my kids behavior through that and frankly through paying for chores immediately. As in, do this, and get a quarter right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They also don't play with their toys with their genitals. Doesn't change the fact that girls prefer dolls over trucks and boys prefer trucks over dolls. This is overwhelming. Boys and girls are different and it goes far beyond their genitals.

You are free to give your girls girl toys and girl books, and your boys boy toys and boy books, if that is what you want to do. Other people allow their individual children to make their own choices.

Nobody said access should not be granted to boys and girls to all types of toys. Just don't be shocked if your boy doesn't want to play barbies. Gender neutrality has been debunked by SCIENCE. in particular Dr John Money's work to prove gender neutrality was an epic failure.

Educate yourself.

Impossible to separate nature from nuture on this issue. Gender policing starts with infants.

[Anonymous]

My eight year old loved the Wimpy Kid books. I found them more tolerable than Capn Underpants, and then he was reading them both independently, which was glorious. I think this age group is often a little sassy with or without the Wimpy Kid. They are experimenting with with more grownup language and still obsessed with potty humor. You can ban the books, but they're still all telling stories about stuff they saw on YouTube or movies.

[Anonymous]

My DH loved "Charlotte's Web" as a kid but he's still masculine. He just appreciates good literature.

[Anonymous]

The age of neurosis and helicopter parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really like those books but I allow my kids to read whatever they want, even if I’m not thrilled about it. We talk about the books like Diary of Wimpy Kid if I don’t want them repeating the stuff or whatever.

+1. I try not to say no to things without a compelling reason (safety concern, logistically impossible, a strong belief that whatever it is would be harmful to my kid). No book would fall into this category for me, and I have read or at least heard of some really controversial and "trashy" stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: DS is 8-years old and a strong reader. He loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Unfortunately, his attitude towards school and his classmates seems to have nosedived since he started reading these books. He parrots phrases from the books, like “Everyone in my school is a moron except me.” He may just be experimenting with different phrases and testing limits, but it is still disturbing.

The main character is a pretty nasty, self-centered kid. The series seems targeted towards older kids, as it’s about a seventh grader.

DH thinks as long as DS is reading and enjoying it, we should leave him alone. I think the books are proving to be a negative influence.

Would you let your eight-year-old read these books?

So... deal with his crappy attitude.

Suggestions? How do you deal with a crappy attitude in an eight-year old?

Please share. We are going through the same thing. Child does not like toys much, only likes books and electronics. We've taken away electronics and who knows when we'll allow it again. Loves his books and we have taken those but it feels wrong to take books. Have taken activities but child needs exercise... not much left...

DP. Extra chores and essays (or if the child isn't yet a strong writer, copying a sentence about a virtue related to whatever they had a bad attitude about) worked for mine. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

My boy would hate Charlotte Web. Most boys would hate it too. Sorry, boys and girls are different, gender neutrality is not a think. If David Reiner had not killed himself, he could tell you that himself.

What?! My son is a fairly typical boy (likes sports, Minecraft etc.) and he didn't "hate" Charlotte's Web. It wasn't his favorite book of all times or anything, but he was assigned the book at school and had no objection to it.

[Anonymous]

Judy Blume says the quickest way to get kids to want to read a book is tell them it's not appropriate.