We've practically lived at various skateparks this half term. The biggest boy has a skateboard and the other two have scooters, and right now they're quite obsessed. I can either watch from the car or, even better, from a heated cafe. Oh the luxury. As you know, many of the things they like involve me standing out in the freezing cold and the mud somewhere. This week has been such a delicious novelty. Warmth AND a sit down. Well, hours and hours and hours of sitting down in fact. I could maybe have done with a little more exercise. But picture this: me, car, hot drink, cookie, good book, no interruptions. I have parenting absolutely nailed.
I spent some time watching as well as reading. Some skateboarders and scooterers can do some seriously impressive tricks. The prize for the most dangerous thing goes to those stunt bikes I think. I saw two really nasty falls from them. No ambulance needed, but a serious amount of pain and no doubt some very impressive bruises.
One of the skateparks was near a library, so I made a quick foray inside. One of the librarians normally works at my local library and recognised me. I am slightly embarrassed at how often I go to the library and at how many books we borrow. And now I've been seen at another library, so they will know that I go there as well. But oh the books, the books. Can't help myself. I picked out a mountain of things for the children to read and tried to walk past nonchalantly, but really, it looked as though I was ransacking the place. They do get through a lot though. Quite often they have finished one between the time we get home and when I get the tea on the table. We are book people! I tell myself it is good for the library statistics in these times of cuts.
I don't think you should be ashamed at all about how many books you loan. I read a sad statistic the other day about how many homes these days don't even possess a single book - how sad is that! I just can't read a book on a kindle or iPad, give me a real life book to read any day xx
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that you use the library so much CJ. Ours is close for refurbishment...till May! I wonder how much they can change?
ReplyDeleteI can remember the sitting the car parenting. Still might be doing that again this year...after Wimbledon :0)
We have the same sort of car by the look of it...perfect for a family of five aren't they.
Jacquie x
Please be proud of all the books the boys read. It's a brilliant past time and so hard to get children to read these days, with other distractions. It sounds very balanced as they like the outdoor life too. I worked in my local library until sadly cuts hit. Loved hearing about the books the children enjoyed. Debbie x
ReplyDeleteWell done you on getting boys reading! It is so difficult...
ReplyDeleteAnd well done on making things work for you this week too.
There are plenty of worse things to be well known for!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that the library people are GLAD to see you take so many books! :-)
ReplyDeleteYour quiet time sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day.
Absolutely nothing wrong with reading, you should be proud of how many times you visit the library! As someone said to me the other day (in connection with snowdrops) "there are far worse addictions".
ReplyDeleteA book, a hot drink and a cookie in a warm car sounds like bliss. Throw in a bit of sock knitting too and I'd be in Heaven! Happy reading. xx
ReplyDeleteI love the fact it's specifically sock knitting :o) xx
DeleteI very much admire that your family are all readers and love books. I buy my books on my iPad and read them there, but think that you're doing it the right way. I'm glad your boys have found hobbies that let you stay out of the cold and rain! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteI love our library x and a warm half term sounds perfect. ours starts tomorrow x
ReplyDeleteYour family seems to be smart because you all love to read books!
ReplyDeleteGlad you have warmth and hot drink at last! I'm so glad my two girls preferred indoor activities! Keep up the library trips - they need people like you in this age of computer games.
ReplyDeleteWell done for reading so much! Our library is one of the few fully staffed ones in the county. The rest are community run by volunteers. At least most are still open at some time. My daughter's local libraries (all five of them) are scheduled for closure. If I see a new book published I immediately check the library and order it. If it's good enough to re-read I'll then buy it.
ReplyDeleteI bet your local librarians are delighted to see someone use the library so much. One of our local libraries was threatened with closure a few years ago so the community got together and stripped it bare to demonstrate it was needed. It looked very odd with bare shelves for a week but the Council gave in and the library is still well used today. The skateboard park sitting sounds the perfect way to spend half term, tired boys, relaxed mum, brilliant!
ReplyDeleteWe're the same with books. Definitely not something to be ashamed of. Quite glad we avoided skate parks though- even with the reading in the warm they sound a bit scary! Well done on nailing parenting with such style xxx
ReplyDeletei would wear your library checkout total as a badge of honour! the fact you have bookish children fills me with all manner of envy. mine are not. you can imagine my feelings of failure....because despite being brainwashed from a young age, something happened (their dad's genes, i fear...he's not a book-reader) and now i'm alone in my fanaticism. i cling to the hope that one day, it will all change.
ReplyDeletenevertheless.
i think you've hit on a marvelous routine there....to be warm and cosy and filled with bookishness. *sigh*
xoxoxo
As a book person this post had me nodding and smiling. xx
ReplyDeleteHow lovely that you have been able to spend the week warm and comfy like that while at the same time entertaining your boys. As for the library, I'm quite sure the librarian was delighted to see you at the other library. Their job is to promote and facilitate reading, so when they see someone walking out of the building with a stack of books I think you put a smile on their faces. The fact that you double dip and use two libraries probably made her day!
ReplyDeleteI never have fewer than 15 books out from the library at one time. I'm so glad we have no borrowing limits and no late fees, it's the best library system aside from the fact that they have really terrible hours and aren't open very much. I'm glad you had a good half-term break. The skatepark sounds like a fun place. We have some here but they aren't very safe for kids because of gangs and violence. A teenager was shot and killed in one last year. Really terrible but that's not unusual around here. I loved watching boys skateboard when I was a kid (only boys skateboarding in that place and time; I hope girls are doing it more now). I hope you have a good week!
ReplyDeleteYOu are a librarian's dream! I bet she was so thrilled to see you. I used to love when I could sit and knit when my boys were out at the park or playing various sports. Have a great break, ours is in a few weeks but I will still be working so no break for me.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I need to take notes here! I can't wait to work school hours again so I can spend some time reading whilst looking after the boys. I bet your librarian loves customers like you. We rarely go to the library, it is awfully busy on Saturdays and I can't do any of the other days. We have literally hundreds of books at home so no problem there but unfortunately, some of the children's fiction is maybe a bit out of touch for the two youngest, they don't seem to appreciate it much. Neither of them likes reading :-( I was glad to read that you have no skate park related accidents to report! x
ReplyDeletePLEASE keep reading and don't be embarrassed! I'm a librarian and we love regulars who actually take out books!
ReplyDeleteMost people these days come to use the computers or to get a bus pass renewed and they walk in with awe saying "it's so long since I came to the library".
Libraries can get you virtually any book/CD/DVD you want at minimal or no cost - so please use them. They are a vital resource and are becoming an endangered species!
Hey CJ,
ReplyDeleteAlas the rugby club is only a few steps from my house, and it would have been awfully lazy to have driven there when Alf played. At least judo was indoors and cadets did not encourage parents to loiter. I don't use the library. An awful admission. I tend to buy books second hand from charity shops and them return them to the shop to sell again. Our library is only open a few days a week, and I keep meaning to take Olly. He will be a reader, I think, like his older brother. At the moment he is reading my old Olga da Polga book. He even sneaks his lamp on after lights out to have a crafty read. A true fan of fiction right there!
Leanne xx
You've definitely got that parenting thing down. I love that your boys all enjoy doing similar things :) I'd have some serious sock knitting going on. I notice I prefer to read at home these days. I used to read everywhere as a youth. Here's to more wonderful afternoons out for both you and your boys.
ReplyDeleteI like your style of parenting... You've definitely got it nailed. I have too many memories of standing by cold and muddy pitches!
ReplyDeleteYou really do have it cracked! And I think it's always best to have a good sit down before even contemplating exercise. I'm sure you're very welcome at all the libraries locally. Shame there isn't a Most Frequent Borrower award. Have to admit my relationship with our library never quite recovered after I lost a book I'd borrowed when I was 8. It was Milly Molly Mandy and my dad had to pay for a replacement. The book did eventually turn up at a friend's house and the library paid the money back - in pennies, some of which I dropped on the way home.
ReplyDeleteYour touching post reminded me of my love/hate relationship with librarians over most of my 71 yrs of life . I have fond memories of libraries I've used over my whole life, the lovely smell of the pages of an old book, and the quiet sanctuary that libraries always seemed to be. However, my adult children and I laugh about the obstructive librarians who seem to want every book to stay safely in the stacks, not in the hands of common folks! My childhood memory somewhat similar to yours was when a school librarian wouldn't let me check out a book that I had already read--but I love it and want to read it again! No. Luckily, I now live in a place that seems to be on the reader's side, and fines are erased whenever I can come up with a plausible excuse for being late. I hope you can find a library that values your presence as they should! Best regards from Kate in Oregon.
DeleteI really miss going to the library. Ours is filled with computers and DVDs now. But you are doing us all a great favour and your boys an even bigger one. I am restocking the bookshelves from the pre-school end again which gives me great joy.
ReplyDeleteLuckily we have plenty of charity shops and there are rich pickings there and on Abebooks.
I adore libraries and have managed to cross two boroughs with my membership - twice the choice!! I can't see the point of paying for books that I can get from the library, the only downside is that there are some gardening books that I'm reluctant to hand back and usually renew to the max! I have a neighbour who rarely reads and never read to her children which I'm quite shocked at - so wear your huge pile of books with pride, Claire!!
ReplyDeleteLibraries love people like you. They are more likely to stay open if borrowing is high - husband worked in local government and he says many small libraries are on the way out as cuts to non essential services are being made to fund social care etc. statistics that show borrowing is dropping provide support for those who want to close them. So we must all use them or lose them. I am a huge library fan - I love hardbacks and yesterday found the new Tess Hadley Short stories as I visited to return something else.
ReplyDeleteDon't be embarrassed about using your library, that's brilliant. I love visiting my local branch although I don't tend to borrow much but the kids - let's just say we usually have to drive rather than walk due to the weight of books....
ReplyDeleteI must say that your skate park parenting sounds like total bliss. The thought of sitting in a warm car with the radio on and a book while the kids tear around in the fresh air - outstanding. Xx