There is a pile of books on my bedside cabinet. Years of studying have almost conditioned me to research a little bit before I act, before I implement something new into my routines… This has of course its strengths but can also be quite constricting… I noticed this trend among my friends too… they don’t want to explore, try things out before checking online or before consulting an appropriate How to… book. I wonder where this tendency is coming from and if it is really changing us into better people, parents, workers or whether it leaves us more unsatisfied and frustrated? Is it fear of making mistakes or fear of taking responsibility for our choices? Is it information, perfection or reassurance that we’re seeking?

I love reading books. I will always read but I think I wouldn’t like to condition my child to the behaviour that I’ve described above. I would like him to try to figure things out for himself first, to develop a problem-solver attitude to life. The world needs fresh thinkers, people who are not afraid to try things out, to invent…

I know that books can nurture imagination, that they are important, if not crucial, in our children’s development… but not all the answers are in them… not all.

Indeed, the books do not know what our questions are. They might be answering different ones.