Sometimes I wish I remember the time when I didn’t not how to read. The times when I had no words to describe what I saw, what I felt, and even what I was thinking. Everything just was. Words and language are collections of point of views organized and formalized by other humans who came before me in the area I was born in and I was free from those influences. I know that I did have a few early years when everything offered themselves to me with freshness and I was free to approach the world however I wish: if not in actions, at least in my thoughts.
Then the words came and I was told the names of the colors and how to express my feelings in the ways that are acceptable to the group of people who surrounded me. My magical years were over. Although I don’t remember what those first few years were like, I would imagine that those time had significant impact on who I am today. (Or not.) As I was assigned words and traditions to mold me into what is considered acceptable to my people and culture, whatever I was before and wordless undefined memories faded.
I think that whoever set up the life on this planet for humans as it is had such sense of humor and irony. I think we are perfect the second we are born. We are totally in the moment. We put ourselves as our priorities and we love unconditionally and truly. We have no preconceived notions of anything (Although I think we come with personalities as I have commented on the previous post). Simply put, we were perfect. And then the life circumstances fuck us up pretty good according to our karma and then we spend our lifetime trying to achieve something we already had. But. I know that there is no there there and it is all about the process so I suppose the process is perfect, after all. Lol.
So I prevented my kids from learning to read as long as I could. I saw that their friends were reading and writing way before them and part of me felt a little nervous. According to my mother, I was reading before the age of 2 and I sort of turned out OK so I thought to myself that maybe I’m doing this all wrong. But then, them not reading made my life easier as a new parent, lol, so I continued on with the original plan. One less thing for me to worry about. I thought it would be good for them to be able to look at the world however they wish and then maybe if that period lasted a bit longer then they might retain some of that: to be freely whoever they are.
Jury will be out for another 20 maybe 30 years and even then there are so many other factors to consider that I’ll never know if my idea and action were even smart. It is entirely possible that I did this all wrong. Maybe I am writing this down so that my kids will read it when they are grown and they know that I did put some thoughts into raising them and I meant well and I did try to do better and did the best I thought I can. Lol.
Ultimately, we’ll never know. But I feel bad for really young kids who should be out running around and making mess are given homeworks and expected to draw within lines. My kids’ cousins had English and Math homework at the age of 4 and I just thought that was ridiculous. Maybe I just want to tell new parents who are worried and struggling that your kids will just be fine even if they don’t read until they start school.
Both my kids didn’t even know English alphabets until they started the first grade at age of six. They are now both fluent in English and Japanese. They can read, write, and speak at their grade levels and in socially appropriate manners at different cultural situations. So no worries. Life gets hard enough soon enough. What’s the rush? Kids should have all the fun.