InthisageofInternetchatvideogamesandrealitytelevisionthereisnoshortageofmindlessactivitiestokeepachildoccupied.Yetdespitethecompetitionmy8-year-olddaughterRebeccawantstospendherfreetimewritingshortstories.Shewantstoenteroneofherstoriesintoawritingcontestacompetitionshewonlastyear.

AsawriterIknowaboutwinningcontestsandaboutlosingthem.Iknowwhatitisliketoworkhardonastoryonlytoreceivearejectionslip(退稿条)fromthepublisher.Ialsoknowthepressuresoftryingtoliveuptoareputationcreatedbypreviousvictories.Whatifshedoesn’twinthecontestagain?That’sthestrangethingaboutbeingaparent.Somanyofourownpastscarsandruinedhopescansurface.

Arevelation(启示)camelastweekwhenIaskedher“Don’tyouwanttowinagain?”

“No”shereplied“Ijustwanttotellthestoryofanangelgoingtofirstgrade.”

Ihadjustspentweekscorrectingherstoriesasshespontaneously(自发地)toldthem.TellingmyselfthatIwasmerelyanexperiencedwriterguidingtheyoungwriteracrossthehallIofferedsuggestionsforcharactersconflictsandendingsforhertales.Thestoryaboutafearfulangelstartingfirstgradewasquickly“guided”bymeintothetaleofalittlegirlwithawildimaginationtakingherfirstmusiclesson.Ihadturnedhercontestintomycontestwithoutevenrealizingit.

Stayingbackandgivingkidsspacetogrowisnotaseasyasitlooks.BecauseIknowverylittleaboutfarmanimalswhousetoolsorangelswhogotofirstgradeIhadtoacceptthefactthatIwasco-opting(借用)mydaughter’sexperience.

WhilesteppingbackwasdifficultformeitwascertainlyagoodfirststepthatIwillquicklyfollowwithmorestepsputtingmyselffarenoughawaytogiveherroombutcloseenoughtohelpifasked.AllthewhileIwillberemindingmyselfthatchildrenneedroomtoexperimentgrowandfindtheirownvoices.

1.Whatdowelearnformthefirstparagraph?

A.Nowtoomanyentertainmentstakeuptoomuchtime.

B.Childrendofindlotsoffuninmanymindlessactivities.

C.Rebeccaismuchtoooccupiedtoenjoyherfreetime.

D.Rebeccadrawsonalotofonlinematerialsforherwriting.

2.Whatdidtheauthorsayaboutherownwritingexperien