A little bit ago the whole family was home just hanging. I looked around, saw the somewhat still environment and thought "I wonder if I could sit in the rocking chair and finish the last twenty pages of Mitch Stokes Galileo book that I have been working on since August?"
I moved to the living room, sat in the rocking chair, found my page (mysteriously the bookmark had disappeared AGAIN) and managed to read 5 sentences before the first child started narrating their Star Wars show to me. I explained that Mommy was reading and that he needed to play by himself. One sentence later the girl approached wanting on my lap. I denied this and explained Mommy was reading and she needed to go play. She disappeared. I read 2 sentences, but had comprehended nil, and she reappeared with a stool so she could stand right beside me and nudge her way into my view so she too could see my book. I explained Mommy was reading she needed to give me space and be quiet. She got down, moved the stool to the center of the room, stood on it and then called for me to notice how high she was. Mommy is reading, please play quietly by yourself. Mommy can't look right now.
This continued for a good 5-10 minutes when I picked up the book, found a book mark, tossed it onto the counter and stated "I guess I am not going to read."
Hubby walked in from the other room and said "I can watch the kids while you go into the bedroom with the door closed so that you can read for awhile." (Guilty confession: Sometimes I forget that I can ask for help when he is home on his days off.) DREAMY!!
So, I went into the bedroom and cozied down into the down comforter.
After reading for awhile I noticed that it was very quiet on the other side of the door. Hmmmm??? I wonder if someone was sent to an early nap? Yet, I had not heard any of protest screaming that ALWAYS happens when naps come early. Hmmm??? I kept reading.
I finally finished the 20 pages. For a person who reads one grown-up book every 6 months or so this one really challenged my memory and my brain. It mentioned and referenced many names and many ancient scientific theories that were new'ish to me.
I opened the door and found the house totally silent. Gracie was sitting quietly, still on the couch at Daddy's feet while Daddy lay on the couch READING. *hmmpphhh* The boys were in their room playing quietly and listening to Old Time Radio Drama (X-Minus One, Gun Smoke and The Great Gildersleeve are the current favorites).
*Sigh*
It is very nice to be needed. To be loved. To have children continuously want me to interact with them but sometimes I am jealous of Hubby's concentration of steel and his ability to convince the kiddos that they need to let him think and read for more than a couple of minutes at a time.
Perhaps, I will keep trying and keep providing training sessions for my children to know that Mommy can sit and read with few interruptions IN the warm living room just like Daddy.
When, How and What do YOU read?
1 comments:
That sounds about right! On a sidenote, when my kids were tiny tiny, the dude was not allowed to put them in the bouncy seat when he was watching them. That was my respite and not his!
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