ssr

Back in my school days (of the elementary and middle variety) we used to have this thing called "SSR" or Sustained Silent Reading once or twice a month for 20 minutes or so. I was a big dork and looked forward to these days--especially when it interrupted my math class--and I thought about it today when the kids and I were leaving the Zilker Botanical Garden and I was craving some quiet time. On the drive home I told Catcher that when we got back to the apartment we were going to have quiet playtime. I told him he could play with his toys or look through his books, but I was going to sit on the sofa and read without interruptions for a little while. He and Scout decided that they wanted to read, too, and here is a look at their room after they had ransacked the "library:"

Although they made a mess, they both helped with clean-up and it kept them busy enough for me to get through a couple chapters of Jane Eyre. Besides, who can complain when your kids are playing with books? I even caught Catcher "reading" to Scout when I thought they were being a little too quiet in the bedroom--he was sitting beside her reciting one of the books that makes her laugh (and quack!).