I’ve maybe done too good a job of reading to my children. Oh, sure, it’s one of the most important things you can do to help develop your child and get him ready for school and blah, blah, blah, but what about me? I don’t have a minute to myself that my children are not clamoring for me to read them a story.
Jamie wants his stories all day long, but especially, it turns out, when I am trying to get dressed, do my makeup, or brush my teeth. Charles particularly enjoys stories when I am trying to make dinner. Is it any wonder we never get anywhere on time?
My new solution to the problem is to have Charles “read” to Jamie. I figured out that he could do this after he spontaneously picked up a book and started reciting it to Jamie on the couch (he’s embarrassed about loving his brother so much, I think):
Charles doesn’t actually read the stories – he just knows most of them by heart because we read them so often. Jamie really loves Go Dog, Go! by PD Eastman and any and all of the Sandra Boynton board books. He wants me to read them over and over and over and over and over again while he snuggles in my lap, sucking his thumb.
Charles is currently into the Babar books by Jean de Brunhoff. Man, those stories are LOOOONG. I swear, by the time I’m done reading to both of the kids each night, my throat hurts from the exertion.
I’m not really complaining, of course. I’m so happy that these boys are readers and I’m really looking forward to the days when we can read some of the great classics (Harry Potter included) together.
Until then, though, it would be nice if I could just have five minutes to get ready in the morning without hearing, “Mommy, would you read me a story?” or “Book! Book!”
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