Bookworms

I screw up a lot as a parent. I can name at least five things I wish I had handled differently just yesterday. I am doing pretty well today but that’s because the kids are still in school. I am a great parent when they aren’t here.

In spite of my MANY shortcomings, I am proud of the fact that both kids are readers. My kids love to read. Mason REALLY loves to read. Books actually get him in trouble. Just this morning I had to take his book away because he wasn’t getting ready for school. He gets so lost in his books that he becomes pretty unresponsive – or maybe that is because he is in middle school. Either way, the kid love to read. After we got the fourth overdue notice from the middle school librarian he told me, “Mom, I am still probably one of her favorites because I check out so many books.” I explained to him that I think you fall of the favorites list if you never return any of the books. 

I LOVE to read. Really love it. That’s why I majored in English the first time around. I didn’t mind that each class came with a minimum of 5 books. My favorite place to go is the bookstore. Now that you can find coffee shops in most bookstores…added bonus. I am not afraid to admit I get a little sad when I finish a good book. I knew one of my now dearest friends and I were going to get along fabulously when she told me that sometimes she and her mom will read the same book at one time and just tear the book in half so they can share. 

Both my kids have participated in Battle of the Books. It’s like playoffs in sports but for the bookworm set. They have to read a set of predetermined award winning books and then compete against other schools. Mason’s team even went to districts this year. It was wild….100’s of kids, many with matching outfits and team cheers. I had no idea there was so much competition and intensity surrounding books. When I heard that nationals was in Hawaii I wished I had made Mason read all the books instead of just some and quizzed him late into the night. They were out in the first round but in the sadness of defeat they all solemnly vowed that each person had to read all 15 books next year, not divide them up. Maybe Hawaii is still in my future.

Of course Audrey’s Battle of the Books team this year made matching t-shirts. The fashion was just as important as the reading. If you are going to be a reader, you have to do it with style proving that being a reader is cool too.

With summer looming ahead, I am glad they like to read. The first stop when someone breathes the dreaded b-word is to the library or better yet, the bookstore. They have the caffeine.