Children in Fiction
Happy Memorial Day to everyone, albeit a little late. Sorry I was MIA. We went away for the weekend and I only just got home this evening. Whew. I'm tired. It was a fun weekend, but lots of work with the kids. As I've said before, a vacation with the kids may be a blast, but for the parents, it's definitely not relaxing.
I started reading a book this weekend that has kids in it. Twin four-year olds. Because I have a newly-turned five-year-old son myself, I easily related to everything the heroine was going through with her boys. The author's descriptions were really great, especially of the boys bouncing off the walls, chaos running supreme, followed by the heroine losing it with them, cooling down, then going back in to apologize to the little devils for nearly blowing a gasket (been there, done that). As well-written as the book was though, I found my mind wandering. See, I LIVE that myself every day, and it's nothing new. If anything, it reminds me of the power-struggle I had with the five-year-old fifteen minutes ago when he wanted to play PlayStation and I told him time was up.
We've had discussions here about why you pick up a book in the first place. Some people do it to escape from real life. Some people do it for entertainment. Whatever the reason, in this case, reading about other parents' kid-struggles isn't escapism for me and it definitely isn't entertainment. For someone who doesn't have kids? Probably a completely different thought process going on.
Do you like reading or writing books with kids in them? I have writer-friends who say they love kids, that they're part of everyday life, therefore they like to write books with kids in them. I like kids too, but I find myself changing my thinking as my kids go from one stage to the next. When I had one child, my books (reading and writing) included a token child in it somewhere. But now that I have three and my life is spent chasing them (and they are young and rambunctious right now, so maybe that has something to do with it), I find I choose books with no kids, or I write books with no kids. For me, that's the escapism. I love my children, but sometimes I need a few minutes away from all that motherhood stuff.
What about you?
I started reading a book this weekend that has kids in it. Twin four-year olds. Because I have a newly-turned five-year-old son myself, I easily related to everything the heroine was going through with her boys. The author's descriptions were really great, especially of the boys bouncing off the walls, chaos running supreme, followed by the heroine losing it with them, cooling down, then going back in to apologize to the little devils for nearly blowing a gasket (been there, done that). As well-written as the book was though, I found my mind wandering. See, I LIVE that myself every day, and it's nothing new. If anything, it reminds me of the power-struggle I had with the five-year-old fifteen minutes ago when he wanted to play PlayStation and I told him time was up.
We've had discussions here about why you pick up a book in the first place. Some people do it to escape from real life. Some people do it for entertainment. Whatever the reason, in this case, reading about other parents' kid-struggles isn't escapism for me and it definitely isn't entertainment. For someone who doesn't have kids? Probably a completely different thought process going on.
Do you like reading or writing books with kids in them? I have writer-friends who say they love kids, that they're part of everyday life, therefore they like to write books with kids in them. I like kids too, but I find myself changing my thinking as my kids go from one stage to the next. When I had one child, my books (reading and writing) included a token child in it somewhere. But now that I have three and my life is spent chasing them (and they are young and rambunctious right now, so maybe that has something to do with it), I find I choose books with no kids, or I write books with no kids. For me, that's the escapism. I love my children, but sometimes I need a few minutes away from all that motherhood stuff.
What about you?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 8:44 PM
8Comments:
It really doesn't matter to me -- I can read or write books with children in them. It all depends on whether they serve a purpose -- characterization, furthering the plot, etc.
I'm along the same lines with Lin.
I guess it depends on my mood -- do I need a total escape? A adventure romance set in say...Jamaica *vbg*...would be the ticket. Do I need a break from my everyday hum-drum, but can't afford to let my mind wander to Jamaica (I might let it stay there)? I don't mind reading about other childen and their antics. (Key there: other children)
Heck, I welcome the opportunity to 1) watch (and laugh at) someone elses struggles so similar to mine, 2) take comfort knowing I'm not alone in all this.
Let's just say that the fact that there are children in a book won't keep me from picking it up and if the description shows the kids involved in a unique or challenging way, it would make an even more compelling reason to buy.
You probably couldn't tell in my post that I write children into my stories, right?
I agree. Sometimes I don't mind books with children in them, and sometimes I avoid them. During the summer, when the kids are home all day, I tend to avoid them more often. *g*
I've written very few books with children. No specific reason, just that I find it harder to write children into a book since the adult characters have to be a lot more careful about what they say and do.
I have written books with kids, but the kids tend to be older -- preteen to teenagers. I think that's because I'm around that age group all day and feel like I can portray them realistically.
Only one book with an actual baby who *really* gets screen time. The other "with kids" books had two thirteen-year-olds and a sixteen-year-old.
Actually, Lin. I think that's the difference here. I've written books with teenagers when it was crucial to the plot, and I've even written books with kids. The difference is now, while my kids are little (and so busy), I find myself including kids less and less in my work. I'm sure it's related to how flustered (and exhausted) they make me during the day.
Elisa, very true. You have to be careful about what your characters do and say with kids around.
I think another reason I tend not to include kids is because lately my RS's are faster paced/search/run for your life kind of books. And it's kinda hard to run from the bad guys when you're lugging a car seat around with you. ;) Kids also sorta get in the way of the whole "love scene" thing. ROFL
J, you do kids well. :) But I can't remember if I've ever read a book of your that included LITTLE children.
I write kids in my books. Usually 8-12 year olds. You don't have to deal with the toddler/baby issues at those ages, yet they make for great chaperons, some levity, and in some cases great in sight.
And writing historical, the children had a place and knew it.
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