Ever since we were coherent enough to sit upright for longer than 5 minutes (say around the 6-week mark), we've been reading to our boys. Our nightly routine consists of curling up in Colin's bed, me reading 2 books, then Wes takes a turn reading 2 more. Colin looks so forward to this time and gets so upset if he gets a book taken away from him (at least we know one punishment that is effective).
The child has a bigger library of books than Target. He can recite most of them verbatim and doesn't hesitate to correct me if I accidentally say the wrong word. He has started 'reading' them to himself and it's nothing for him to fly through 10 books, just flipping away.
In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, Colin asked if we could read an extra book tonight. Of all the requests I get, most of which I try to weasel out of, I gladly agreed to this one. Apparently his teacher had told the students to ask their parents to read a book to them that night. The very thought that a teacher has to tell a parent to read to their child is mind boggling to me.
I may not know much about parenting and I may struggle with discipline from time to time but I think I can cross the 'read to your children daily' thing off the list. Ah, it feels good to know at least I'm doing one thing right!
By the way, in an effort to set a better example for my children, I'm taking advance recommendations for a good book for the beach. It can't be one that I have to concentrate too hard on since I'll be trying to keep 2 toddlers from drowning, but something that will still keep my attention. The field is wide open because I literally haven't read a book since reading The Devil Wears Prada 5 years ago!
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go."
-Dr. Seuss
I would recommend the Twilight series or Hunger Games series, both are quick reads that are pretty mindless, but captured my attention. Yes, they are Young Adult books, but that's what I need ... something easy to read, that's mindless. I also loved "The Thirteenth Tale" and would be happy to pass that to you, it's got a bit of history, mystery, and drama ... I read it on our honeymoon and plan to go back to read it again. I love reading, but find it hard to concentrate for longer than 5 minutes lately.
ReplyDeleteSaving CeeCee Honeycutt is a delightful easy read. It was my choice for bookclub this year.
ReplyDeleteThe Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich is an EXCELLENT beach read. They don't require too much thought and are laugh-out-loud funny. I give them two thumbs up.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Something Borrowed? It's a great beach read. Something Blue is also a winner. I just got The Hunger Games but haven't started reading it. I'm not even sure what is really about. I've just heard that when people start reading it they can't put it down, so I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear - I'm a hopeless book geek, so you'll have to take my recommendations with my evangelical zeal in mind, but: have you tried the old beach read classic, "Bridget Jones' Diary"? Forget the movies, the original book is just devastatingly funny if you haven't read it already. Same goes for "I Don't Know How She Does it", which is so good in original written form.
ReplyDeleteI second the "Something Borrowed/Blue" recs (anything by Emily Giffin, former lawyer turned novelist, is both fun & usually thought-provoking) and "Hunger Games" too.
I am such a book worm! I will read just about anything! I am constantly pushing books on Joey in hopes that he will love to read but so far he just seems to want to chew...
ReplyDeleteI loved The Hunger Games series! I thought I would hate them but ended up reading all 3 in 2 days. I was on vacation last summer and couldn't put them down. The Chelsea Handler books are all also funny, easy reads. I am such a book freak that I can't bring myself to get a Kindle even though it would be so much easier because I love the feel and smell of books!