10-yr old, gifted kid who reads at 10th grade level also keeps reading Big Nate
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
So, my son reads in the XYZ levels of the DRA system.
His preferred downtime reading this summer is Big Nate, which is something like a 3rd grade level. He's rediscovered the series after not reading it for several years. He's also reading Ballad of the Songbird and Snakes, a few Marie Lu books, and some other books that are more at his reading level. Should I worry about is love of Big Nate? He likes to adopt sayings and attitudes from the book, which I find disconcerting. Big Nate is not exactly a great role model. I'm not going to censor his reading, but I'm just trying to figure out why a kid who can read years ahead of his grade level is reading something that he first read in 2nd grade. Is this somehow indicative of emotional immaturity? Asynchronous development? |
Anonymous
No, it's totally normal. I read on a graduate school level, and I still read various newspapers on an 8th grade level. Kids develop their skills by reading things on their grade level, but also from materials below. It's only things that are above that aren't really helpful. And kid's maturity and interests have nothing to do with DRA level. |
Anonymous
|
JFC, let the poor kid read what he wants. Yes, comic books, too. Even if he’s not developing his skills he might be… wait for it… enjoying it.
When I was a teenager I ripped through the American Girl books. Didn’t rot my brain too badly, although I did end up at what DCUM considers a lesser Ivy. |
Anonymous
|
I read the harry potter books as a thirty year old.
My kid is like this too. The younger level stuff speaks to where he is emotionally. That’s okay. |
Anonymous
He's 10. It is ok to read something mindless and fun. Even for the gifted. I mean, look at me reading the DCUM forums. When I was that age I read everything I could get my hands on. Just encourage reading. |
Anonymous
| I love children’s novels and still read my favorites every couple of years. I’m getting Are You There God, it’s me Margaret when the library opens. |
Anonymous
| And? |
Anonymous
| My 10 yo reads at a similar level, and loves Garfield books. I don’t have a problem with it. I think it’s a good balance to all the history and other non-fiction he reads. |
Anonymous
| That's great, he's reading for fun. |
Anonymous
| Sigh. He is 10. Cut him some slack. I was in your kid's boat. When I was 10 I was reading contemporaneously Cherry Ames, Dostoevsky and Adam Smith. I can still quote passages from Cherry Ames. I loved those books. |
Anonymous
| My son is 10 and also considered gifted (according to MCPS as he’s in the CES). He loves big Nate. I hate it—too many fat jokes and bullying. But I let him read it. He loves to read and reads other things too. So many kids hate to read, I don’t want to squelch his love of books by banning one genre. |
Anonymous
|
I'm 43 and just watched the entire Gossip Girl series. No big deal.
Punish for inappropriate behavior |
Anonymous
| My 11 year old also finished Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes this week and immediately picked up a Diary of Wimpy Kid book that he's probably read 20 times. No big deal. I'd rather he read -- even a mindless book -- than waste time on video games. |
Anonymous
|
How did you decide that your child is reading on a 10th grade level? X and Y are 6th grade level. Z is 7th. It's honestly not that uncommon for bright 4th and 5th graders to read books in that range, especially for fun. I wouldn't assume that a child reading level XYZ in 4th/5th is even gifted. It's really much more common than you would imagine.
It's also not uncommon for them to slum it and read under their level for enjoyment. |
Anonymous
| I have a Phd. My biggest read is DCUM. It makes me happy. |