1,000 Book Challenge

At A's school they are really pushing reading to the kids. Not in a way that will turn kids off from reading, but in a way that gets them excited to read. There is no mandatory reading each night, it's just suggested that the kids read at home, and more importantly that parents and the children read together.

One of the books that A's teacher (Laura) had been reading to the class during lunch was called "The Principal On The Roof" in which the students of the school read 1,000 books, and the principal reads a book from the roof to reward them.  While reading the book, Andrew and 3 other kids in his class came up with the idea of approaching principal Linda and issuing the challenge to her: If each student in the 1st/2nd combo class reads 1,000 books, she will read them a story from the roof. The only problem being Linda is afraid of heights. She accepted the challenge, and raised the ante to every student in the school has to read 1,000 books. Of course all the students were in and are currently reading and keeping track of each book they finish.

Check out the video of A getting up at assembly with a couple other kids from his class and explaining the challenge:

Still Little

With all the changes A has been going through, it is hard to remember that he is still just a little 6 year old. He has always had an above average vocabulary and been extremely verbal, but add to that his first year of full day school, reading & writing more, and being even more independent and you can see how it slips our minds that he's still a little guy.

Last night A had been in bed for about an hour when we heard him scream "MOMMY!!! I NEED YOU!!!!!" I went upstairs to see what had happened, and it was obvious he had been asleep for a little bit. I asked him what was wrong, and this is what he told me:

"Mommy, you know how some stories are real and some are not? I think the one Laura (his teacher) read to us at lunch was real. It was about a monster that lives under the bed and it practices putting your head in it's mouth when you fall asleep. You know it's been practicing because there's monster drool on your pillow. Mommy. There is drool ON MY PILLOW!"

I reassured him that the book wasn't real and there are no monsters that live under the bed. We all (or the majority of us) drool in our sleep and that's what is on his pillow. Poor little guy was so shaken up!  Nights are already a bit rough since he's afraid of the dark, but add a monster that practices putting his head in it's mouth and it's all over!  Thankfully he ended up sleeping very well, but it was a good reminder to me of how little he still is, and I am thankful for that.

For those wondering about the book: