Book Time

Note: I drafted this post the week of Halloween and never published it.

We got off track yesterday for a fun reason. Yesterday was the Halloween party at preschool. The kids both had fun playing, eating, playing again, and reading at the preschool academy.

By the time we got home, it was time to serve them a (sugar-free) lunch. This is our usual Monday routine. Preschool activities somehow wear them both out to the point that they are not fit for anything but lunch when we get home. School for Xander starts later on Mondays.

Xander said he was tired and wanted a nap before school. I allowed this. When he got up, we attempted to go to the park to do school while Nick (supposedly) would play. Didn't work. Xander loved the idea and would have done fine listening while climbing around me on a large rock, but Nick didn't want to play at all without Xander running around with him.

Still, we were finally able to complete school by dinner time. Xander nervously admitted to me that he had done something bad at nap time. He had actually read books the whole time and hadn't fallen asleep.

I couldn't help but wonder if his truthfulness was in part due to a book we read this week, Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer. I officially love this book. Both text and illustrations are fantastic. Let me tell you what is on the Honest and Courageous pages:

"HONEST means, I have to tell you something. The butterfly didn't really take the cookie - I took the cookie.

COURAGEOUS means, It was not easy for me to tell you that I took the cookie, but I took a deep breath...and made the words come out."

Throughout this picture book, other lessons in courtesy are taught in terms of cookies: cookie-sharing, cookie-hoarding, cookie-envy, even cookie-open-mindedness. It is short but precious. Best of all, I got to read a book to both boys about manners, courtesy, morals, whatever you want to call them, while they looked on and laughed. It was not a chore or a burden on their feelings like some other morality books.

As much as I love the text, the illustrations are just as beautiful, life-like, and whimsical. Love them!

So, back to Xander's admission. I praised him for his courage in telling me. Later, I told him I did not want him to do that again to try to avoid school, but I was glad he had told me what really happened. I told him Mom and Dad could help him with any problem if he would tell us the truth.

Another book note. I have been impressed by How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It, by Arthur Herman. Now, I have a beef with the not-to-be-taken-literally title, but everything else about this book is great. It covers the time period from about 1680 to about 1980, although the material is much more thorough from 1700 to almost 1900. I am on the last chapter.

I just read how Benjamin Rush helped found the American Philosophical Society and "supplied" its motto: "Knowledge is of little use, when confined to mere speculation." I think this is a good motto for me to keep in mind. I know myself, and I admit my internal life can be more active than my external life.

Update: I finished the Scots book and really liked it.