In the love of books, how much is too much?

Parents will always worry about getting the right balance for their children, whether that be in diet, social lives or how much they read.

Parent Rini Munandar, 43, was caught off guard when her seven-year-old son asked a question beyond anyone his age: Why God is unfair to him?

“He cried for hours and asked me the question over and over after reading a book,” said the mother of two.

Rini said her son questioned God’s fairness after reading a book about Switzerland.

“He thought God is being unfair to him because he was not born in Switzerland but in a tropical country instead,” said Rini.

“I was dumbfounded and finally ended up involving him in a discussion to find the answer together,” she said.

“But, it’s too much for a seven-year-old boy,” she said.

Books can be dangerous, author Helen Exley writes. The danger stems from when the love of reading becomes an addiction so that people forget to eat, drink, shower and make engage in a social life.

“I sat for hours in my father’s rocking chair engrossed in my book to the point that I lost track of time. I suddenly realized it was nighttime when I had to turn on the light,” Thariq Warsahemas, 15, said, sharing her experience reading the Harry Potter series of novels.

Similar with Thariq, Sandra Dewi Febiane Iskandar, 19, said she often locked herself in a room when she read a book, where she could forget about the rest of the world.

“I just keep reading and reading and reading until my parents call me,” said Sandra said.

Children’s addiction to books can also means a cocoon of self exclusion, some parents say.

Rini said her eldest son found it difficult to communicate with his peers due to his book addiction.

“He has an IQ of 145, and sometimes he talks about things his friends can’t understand,” she said.

Meanwhile, Thariq’s father, Subandi said his daughter’s addiction to books took a toll on his wallet.

“I have spent a lot on my daughter’s books,” said Subandi, who is a civil servant.

Child psychologist Rose Mini recommends parents not discourage children from reading if they sense a problem.

“Having children that love readings is a great thing nowadays,” she says.

The first thing parents must do, she says, is teach their children about priorities in their life.

Parents can also make a reward system when it comes to reading, which would also encourage good behavior.

Many parents, however, prefer seeing their children buried in books, linking their child’s love for reading with good grades at school.

“I support it because I know [reading] helps my child’s education,” Subandi said.