March Slice of Life No. 13
I remember it well.
It was a Saturday morning.
Unannounced, he came into my kitchen.
“Gramma, can you help me? I forgot I have to read a book for a project.”
“Really. By when?”
“Monday.”
“Monday? Like after Sunday?”
He nods.
“Have you started?”
“No. I don’t have a book.”
“What! You don’t have a book yet? What kind of book does it have to be?”
“It can be any book. Well, not a short one.”
By now we are in the room that my youngest granddaughter thinks is a library, thumbing through books on the shelves. He settles on a biography from my old presidential biographies series. As he looks at the page number on the last page, I ask, “Do you think you can finish it by Monday?”
“I don’t know.” Then a bit dejectedly, “I have to.”
Being a book lover, being a teacher, being his grandmother — being all these things, I offer him help. I offer to read the book with him.
In the garden room, I get comfy on the sofa; he sprawls on the floor. He reads out loud. Then he hands me the book, and I read out loud. Then he reads; then I read. Back and forth. Page by page. Chapter by chapter. We stop to make sandwiches for lunch, and in the middle of the afternoon, a bowl of popcorn. As the last rays of the winter sun stream through the garden room windows, he reads the last page and closes the book.
We did it!
{I never did know what his Monday project was.}
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This memory was rekindled by “Reading with My Mini Me” by Megan Watson — a lovely post about reading with her little daughter, about her father reading with her when she was little.
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Thank you to
Two Writing Teacher
This slice is such a lovely depiction of the sweet, intimate relationship of you and your grandson. You’re such a good grandma. He will remember that day for a long time. 🙂
Every child deserves this kind of support, but the “I have to” makes me sad. Now I want to know which president you read about.
How lovely that you had this time together! The assignment was worth it, even if you don’t know what it was!
Yes, your grandson knew he could come to you with this situation and get help and not a lecture. I am sure that the fact that you shared the reading made it more interesting and gave him the incentive to go on to the end.
Today, I am trying something new. I am commenting on the five slices posted above my own so that I can “meet” new slicers! Beautiful slice — right into the moment and movement that was sort of a thread between you as you read together. Love.
What a lovely way to spend a Saturday. Even though you probably had other plans! Definitely something you will both remember – always. What an excellent grandmother you are!
I love how what could be an opportunity for scolding turns into an opportunity for bonding. This is how we build readers. Your grandson is a lucky boy – and I suspect you are a lucky grandma. 🙂
Ah, you felt that moment in the narrative when I had to choose not to scold about procrastination. The fact he came to me meant he already knew anything I could have scolded him about. Thanks for stopping by.
Trust, encouragement and support are words that come to mind after reading this slice. Thanks for sharing.
Good words! Thank you for stopping by today.
Love this!!! You might be a great reader and grandma and your grandson an amazing kid. I don’t think too many children would have spend the entire Sunday reading with their grandma. I will put this in my bag of tricks, and pull it out when I become a grandma. Than you!!!
Thank you, Pia. I think his motivation was the grade needed to keep his GPA to play football. Mine was definitely because I love him.
His Monday project turned into a memorable day. What bliss. Sharing a book together over the course of the whole day. Precious.
Yes, it did. We did have to plow through some moments… hence, the popcorn… to create a movie-like atmosphere and keep us going.