Mother-Daughter Bonding Over Harry Potter

I have woken up a few nights ago at 4 am by my daughter saying she had a nightmare. As I walked back with her to her room, I asked her what happened in the dream, and she said – “Mama, Voldemort had become king and was killing everyone”

Voldemort. King. I had to control my snigger as I told her that it’s just a dream and that am sure Harry would figure out how to defeat him. She agreed with me and smiled and fell asleep with a few minutes.

Mother-daughter bonding over Harry Potter

I read the Harry Potter series when it was published in 1997, and I was one of those who pre-ordered them so I could have them before anyone else. However, I was an adult when I read them. They were interesting, magical and made me wish I had been able to go to Hogwarts (The School of Wizardry and Witchcraft) as a child or had friends like Hagrid (the giant teacher who took the lesson on Care of Magical Creatures) or Ron Weasley (Harry Potter’s ‘best’ friend). It was also fun participating in the Harry Potter quizzes and led to a feeling of belonging in this universe created by JK Rowling.

My daughter is eight now and started reading the Harry Potter books in March just before the lockdown. She is currently on her last book and is as excited as she was when she started the first one. We have had a great time over the last 45 days discussing the plot, characters, guessing what will happen next, what we liked and what we didn’t like about the storyline besides grinning after revelations in the books. It has been a revisit to the books in the best possible way all the while discovering the point of view of a young child on issues like becoming an orphan, boarding school, friendship and loyalty.

Reading together with a parent also helps create the best kind of bonding between the child and the parents. When a young child hears the sound of your voice, they focus better and helps to increase their attention span. This also helps in building intimacy and feeling of togetherness. The idea is to make reading a fun activity, rather than a chore, so read to them when you are relaxed.

Lessons from Harry Potter

There are many lessons to be learnt from the Harry Potter series – I am going to list the ones most relevant to children and parents.

• It’s OK to be different – Hagrid is a giant, Hermoine has scraggly hair but they are loved. Luna is considered fanciful but such an integral member of Dumbeldore’s army
• You need to believe in yourself, even if no one else does. It doesn’t matter what others think, you should believe in your capabilities and never give up.
• Harry Potter taught us never to give up. Even when his friends and teachers gave up, he destroyed the horcrux within himself to come back and kill Voldemort.
• Face your fears – Bravery and facing fears is a key theme through the book series
• When in doubt, ask for help – Whether Draco turned to his parents or Harry turned to his friends, there’s no harm in asking for help
• A good teacher makes all the difference – Since the school is the setting for most of the books, the teachers plan an important role in shaping the personalities of the characters
• Friendship is important and the sense of community is key to confidence – Harry gets through most of his troubles thanks to his friends and school mates
• A mother’s love is priceless – Lily’s love protects Harry as a child and throughout his life

Benefits of reading

According to raisingchildren.net.au and many other sources, books help children as it stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world around them. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word besides helping with vocabulary and focus. Books help teach children about what is good and bad in the world s/he lives in.

Younger children will learn about colours, shapes, numbers, and letters, while the older ones discover interests and knowledge. When your child reaches a new stage in his life or experiences an unfamiliar situation, reading to your child about a story relevant to his new experience can relieve anxiety and help cope. For example, if your child is stressed about his first day in school, or about moving to a new location, you can read a book to him that shows that these should not be painful experiences.

From my own experience, here are some tips to encourage your child to read

• Make your child an active participant in the reading and allow him/her to read age-appropriate books.
• Since your kid imitates your behaviour, let him/her see you read books
• To help your child understand that letters and words are symbols that are used to communicate, run your finger under the print but don’t force your child to follow your finger.
• Sometimes, your child likes a particular book and wants to read it repeatedly. Do not discourage this
• Expose your child through to a variety of books
• Teach your child to treasure books and treat them with respect – keeping them clean and in good condition
• Keep books where your kid can easily reach them so he will be able to browse them by himself
• Take books to read to your child on long trips and places where you have to wait

Reading and reading with your child is a magical experience and help in bonding and making memories together. Keep reading – as Harry Potter makes us believe, magic is real.