Lillian Reads

So, after a crappy day, what can pick you up?

Finding out your daughter can read.

Particularly finding out that she can read, when she asks if she can read you a story while you're sleeping.

I came home yesterday after a Call From Hell. (I hate 'Roaming profiles' but more on that later)

I was completely fragged. I had fared better than John and Mike, in that I got home at 7:30PM, rather than 5AM. But still, I was fragged. As it turned out, Lillian and Josephine were at the house of a friend.

So I was free to do anything I wanted. I wanted to sleep. So I did.

Around 10PM, they came home, and I felt Lillian hopping up on the bed. I heard her mention that she wants to read, but doesn't want to disturb me by turning on the lights. Josephine says it's all right, and I mutter that I don't mind. (Josephine is the one that can't handle light. I'm tired, I sleep. I'd ignore Nukes.)

Lillian has "read" plenty of times before. She opens a book and peruses it. Turning pages, looking the book over.

She asks if I'd like her to read to me. I say "sure".

She says "let me find my place". And starts to read "Oh, The places you'll go!" she's reading pretty damn fluidly, occasionally halting on a work and asking for help, or taking a second or two to figure it out.

I am now completely awake, though I continue to lie there with my head down, grinning like an idiot. Not to mention the fact that I was trying to hide any reaction at all.

She reads fast, and interestingly had no problems with the word "Prickle-ly", but got stuck on "perch".

As with a lot of parenting moments, I find this one is both excitement and sadness.

Excitement, of course, because, well, dammit, she can read! She's beginning her voyage for real now. She's no longer dependent upon us for opinion and information. She can strike out in any direction she chooses from here.

Sadness, because...because She's beginning her voyage for real now. She's no longer dependent upon us for opinion and information. She can strike out in any direction she chooses from here.

What an amazing emotion I'm feeling about this.

What's truly amazing about it to me, is that, we didn't teach her a thing, I feel. She did this all herself. Sure, she asks what a word is, or has trouble with a word, I help her with it, but...all by herself. Home-schooling is cool. And scary.

7:53:41 PM     Discuss: []


Holy Shit! She's Reading!!!!!!!!
7:41:05 PM     Discuss: []