Teaching my son to love books...

Memories of homeschooling:

My oldest was was in the 3rd grade. He refused to open a book to read it. The only books he was really interested in were picture books...and Dr. Seuss...

I had to change this. So, I chose a book by Anne Rice. I know...bad choice for so young a mind. I was new to this home-schooling stuff. I was new to politics and conservative viewpoints. I was a very young mother.

So, at night, before he went to sleep, he and my younger son would pile on my bed and I would read them a chapter.

I wondered if it made a difference. They started out fussing about it. "No mom! Do we HAVE to?" Then after several chapters they accepted that they weren't going to get out of it.

I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I wondered if I was doing it right...

Then, one night as I read and we neared the end of a chapter, in which the hero of the story was about to do something really exciting, and I slowed my reading, readying myself to close the book for the night...

My son said, "NOOOO! You better NOT stop there!"

And then mean ol' mom said, "Oh, yes. It's time for bed. We'll have to see what happens tomorrow."

After I tucked them in and went into the living room to spend time with my husband, I had a hunch. I went back to check on my oldest son.

Sure enough, he had secretly obtained the book from my room and was reading it. Of course, I had to take it from him, but I went to bed satisfied.

Mission accomplished.

Thirza Peevey, Karrott Topp