AIBU?
Books about humility / kindness / gratitude (for twelve year old)
Shoeshelpplease · 18/12/2019 07:52
Hi I have a twelve year old boy who is, like many twelve year old boys, somewhat lacking in the above.
Can anybody recommend me any books on these subjects appropriate for us to read together or for him to read?
These could be spiritual books, self help type or even novels with a good story running through on those themes?
Sorry I did post this in a more specific section but didn't really expect any replies as such low traffic.
Ineedaweeinpeace · 18/12/2019 08:00
If read together and discussed these will hit home why we are kind and accepting etc
To kill a mockingbird
Wonder
Boy in the striped pyjamas
I would get him to help you to do something to show him why we are those things. Eg make up a storehouse box and deliver it. My daughter (and husband) both appreciate things more since we met a lovely man waiting for our local place to open.
HourglassTigger · 18/12/2019 08:50
'It's a wonderful life' fits this brief well and is bound to be showing on a TV channel near you/me/allofus over the coming week. So that is the easy bit. Getting him to sit down and watch it all the way through could be the challenge.
I think JK Rowling tackles these themes consistently throughout the Harry Potter series - altruism, bonds of loyalty, friendship, humility definitely. I've always credited her for helping me better form my kids' characters.
HourglassTigger · 18/12/2019 09:07
A few thought about slightly less daunting, bite size chunkbooks - in case he's not a voracious reader by nature.
Adolescents often find their spirituality picqued by books like The Alchemist(Paolo Coello) and Jonathon Livingston Seagull (Richard Bach). As an adult I havn't revisited these and I believe they are marmite books, but I do recall they did a job at the time when I was utterly self absorbed.
Another thought if you have younger kids you could persuade him (by whatever mercenary means necessary) to read them bedtime stories such as 'Buddha at Bedtime' which encourage a bit of explorative conversation.
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