Telling you a Bedtime Story!

Family!
I hope all is well with you.  Me, I'm well.

For this blog, I'd like to tell you a bedtime story.  No, not a bedtime story in the traditional sense, but a story about bedtime here at my house. 

Let me start by saying that information on many of the great things that happen when you read to your kids is only a Google away. (In fact, AFTER you read this blog, go check it out!)   If what those experts say is true, as a writer, what does reading my own book to my own kid do?  That’s the question I’ve been pondering...

See, my son is 8 and in 2^nd grade.  My book is aimed at 9 – 12 year olds (4^th - 7^th graders).  Though he is reading at a 4^th grade level (and we’re really proud of him), I’ve been reluctant to read Wrinkles Wallace: Knights on Night School to him.  Maybe it was because I put him being a second grader above above his fourth grade reading level.  Maybe it was because he’s a year younger than my target audience.  Maybe I was nervous that he might not like or understand it.  Insert a few more here: Maybe..._________.

About a month ago, my wife politely suggested (in a way that only a wonderful wife can) I read WWKNS to our son.  I took her advice and finally went about the business of reading my book to him before his bedtime.  It only took one session for me to see things from a different perspective. 

Since that first session, I developed a tremendous sense of pride in what I wrote and what read to him.  Hearing his giggles, predictions, questions, and requests for one more chapter after his bedtime has been very rewarding.  Or, it is part of his diabolical plan to stay up after bedtime.  Whatever the case is, I do enjoy him asking, “Daddy, are you going to read me more of that Wrinkles book?”

So, after I finished reading WWKNS to him, I was pretty happy when he wanted to hear me read book two, Wrinkles Wallace: Fighters of Foreclosure.  And, when that was finished, he immediately asked me to start reading book three, Wrinkles Wallace: Power of Parents.  Yeah, I got excited!  Now that we’re on the third book of the series, I'm proud of how he’s asking more questions and analyzing the characters, (or still trying to stay up past his bedtime). 

The only real problem I can see is that I’ve only finished five chapter books, so we are going to run out pretty soon. 

I guess that means I better start writing more often…  Honestly, I’m okay with that.

Thanks for allowing me to tell you a bedtime story.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Feel free to leave a comment.

STEADY!