I haven't read books on a regular basis since 1998 when I had Marina. I read the baby books until my brain went numb, just in time to have Ike, and then Chance. I shamefully admit that I did not read to my kids on a regular basis. (Hardly ever.) I didn't even read their homework. They are all honor students who love to read, so I guess the love of reading could possibly be genetic. I don't know, but Lord am I relieved I got a parenting pass on that one.
I tried reading to them here and there, but the phonics books were painfully boring and the kids had different reading levels, different attention spans, and different interests. Excuses, excuses, I just didn't do it. So there. (Teachers...please do not comment that you do it with 25 kids and I only have 3. I know this already.)
We didn't read books, but we read other things. We love magazines, the Internet, and information boards, especially ones in state parks. We read every posted announcement, although we somehow miss half of the ones in their backpacks. We also have a penchant for reading brochures; and will visit hotel lobbies in various cities just to read the brochures about the Air Museum, the Zoo, whatever is local, etc. I am an information addict; and the entire family has the same bug.
The boys and I went to the library yesterday to sign up for the summer reading program. Marina couldn't go with us because she's at Interlochen, but we signed her up, too. I realized that I really do have time to read again, since my kids can read independently. Why not read when they are reading? The novelty, I know.
Maybe I didn't read because I have always reserved the evening hours for Robin. Before Robin, I used my non-parenting hours for socializing with other adults. Now that Robin is traveling a lot for work, and wow, I guess I don't have anybody else to hang out with...sad...I'm finding myself with countless alone time hours. I fill it up Googling things that I don't need to know. I could be reading a book instead. I guess I've had the opportunity to read for awhile, but I was out of practice.
I need to get back in practice; and I look forward to sharing books with the kids, discussing stories, authors, watching the movie version. It should be fun. I didn't visit the adult section of the library yesterday, since we got there close to closing time, there wasn't enough time. Oh, no, there wasn't enough time because I had to go back to the car to get my purse to pay the outrageous amount of late fees we owed. However, I found a book for me in the Young Adult section: Anne of Green Gables. Don't laugh. I loved this book as a kid. I saw it and I knew it was just the book for me to get back into reading.
Ike couldn't find the books he needed for his school's required summer reading. He saw a classmate of his walking out with the last available copies. I chose 5 other books for Ike. Chance chose four books for himself; and I only helped a little. Chance has read 2.666 of them, and Ike hasn't read anything at all. Neither have I. Instead, I started a blog to write about my kids.
Today is July 8, 2011; and this is the first day of my blog.
This is a pic of Chance in the living room of our new apartment on Indiana St. in El Segundo.
