When I was a kid, we had our "regular bedtime." But as a "special privilege" if we would behave during the day (somehow this privilege never got taken away...) we were "allowed" to "Stay up" half an hour to read in our beds.
SERIOUSLY!!!???
MY MOM IS A GENIUS!!!
I LOVED this special privilege--- at first because it allowed me to "stay up late" and soon after because I had developed an unquenchable and lifelong love for reading!
Like I said... MY MOM, THE GENIUS!!!
So this past summer, we instituted "Summer bedtime." Regular bedtime for Jaxon is 7:30, but he if earned it and had a good day, he could stay up until 8. As school was approaching, I knew switching summer bedtime for "reading privileges" would be a perfect swap. We told him what a privilege it is, and that it doesn't involved any playing or messing around or you lose the privilege. Jax was super excited to start and last night was the first night. I left him to his books at 7:30 and at 8 when I went in to turn off the reading light and say goodnight, his head was laying on his pillow and his eyes were closed. He did hear me come in and told me that he "hadn't started another book because he knew he wouldn't be able to finish it in time, and he didn't want to have to start over tomorrow."
Translation- SO TIRED!
I also need to insert here, that we have had a rule during the school year that if Jaxon sleeps in until 6:30, rather than his regular 6am (The earliest he is allowed to come out of his room) then he can stay up until 8.
So tonight I went in to have him turn off the lights and he was giggling hysterically while reading Amelia Bedelia. He SO SO SO did NOT want to turn off the lights, and I heard several rounds of "one more page! One more page!" (How do you fight a kid who just wants to read???) Finally we put it down with a bookmark and he got a very sly look on his face---
"Mom, in the morning, if I wake up, but stay in my room, CAN I PLEASE READ UNTIL 6:30???"
"Oh, wow....I don't know...."
"PLEASE MOM??? PLEASE???"
"Well, I guess that would be alright..."
"What about at 5:55, can I turn on my lamp at 5:55 instead of 6??? Please???
"No buddy, let's not push our luck..."
"Okay, but if I read until 6:30, then do I still get 8o'clock bedtime and STILL get to read until 8:30??"
(Man....this kid is good.... I'm not sure who is playing whom here...)
(This one actually had me stumped for a minute...was this a good idea? WAS I getting played?)
finally I said, "As long as your not cranky, that would be okay with me."
He eyed his Amelia Bedelia book happily and shouted "YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!"
Once again- Dear Mom, you are a genius!
I know that if I had presented this as, "As part of being a first grader, you have to stay up and read for 1/2 hour every night, I would have been met with every protest in the book, and here we are...he is begging and thinking of Wiley ways to get more reading time!
My mom actually really is a genius, and has a family of 6 smart kids who LOVE to read and are good at it. She taught me that to make a better reader, you just HAVE TO READ MORE, and I am loving this new plan. Jaxon still reads out loud to himself, and I stand outside the door and listen occasionally. Not every word is right, but he is a darn good reader for the second day of first grade, and to hear him giggle as he can not only read the words, but comprehend the meaning, and the double meaning, my teacher/mother heart is swelling!!!
PS- As I read this post back to myself...it sounds a little braggy. Not only about my genius 6 year old but about my genius mothering skills. While that is not totally the purpose of this post.... I'm thinking to myself...if you can't brag about your only child a little on your blog, THEN WHERE???
Right here, is just right!
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