Dark Omen came home from 5th grade and told me his classmates were “worshipping” him today because he reads the Wall Street Journal. “Worship” is apparently 5th grade speak for, “Dude, you’re really cool” and it strikes me as awesome that these kids think it’s “cool” to read, of all things, the newspaper. Not any newspaper, mind you, but The Wall Street Journal, which is known for its extensive business and news analysis, in addition to its conservative opinion page.
Once Dark Omen was old enough to safely read the front page, I encouraged him to read both our local paper and the WSJ. He was drawn to the comics and an occasional local article, but mostly was attracted to the large, serious looking typeset of the WSJ. The reading level of the WSJ is much higher than our local paper, and the articles are more complex. Some wonderfully studious conversations have been born out of his morning perusal of the paper.
I’m not sure how the 5th grade class discovered Dark Omen’s reading habit. I suspect a recent birthday party, where the dad-in-charge high-fived him and encouraged him to keep reading the WSJ, had something to do with it. How the dad knew is still a mystery.
Perhaps, the 5th graders found it fascinating because so few of them read the paper. That would be sad, if true. But not surprising, in a world where parents, along with the rest of the nation, get most of their news from the television or internet.
But, if rare, at least it was worthy of worship! I only wonder if the fascination will survive the trenches of Jr. High a year or so from now, where geeky literary tendencies might lose their luster.
What about your children? Do they read the paper? Do you?