I hear a noise.
I hear a noise when all should be quiet so I got to investigate.
I creep down the hallway expecting to catch someone in the act. Someone who should be quiet. Someone who should be asleep.
I see a light and my eyes roll and my forehead wrinkles and I think ‘really?’
As I get closer the noise becomes a little voice.
I take a breath ready to begin the lecture about being quiet, about other people needing to sleep, and about how tired you will feel in the morning, but something stops me and instead I listen.
I stand outside the door and I listen, and I hear.
I hear a big brother reading to a little brother.
Reading from a book that is too hard for the little brother to read on his own.
Reading with voices, and meaning, and care.
Reading quietly, calmly, with love.
My wrinkled forehead softens.
The lecture is put on hold for another day.
Instead I do a silent fist pump.
And as I creep away I wonder if maybe I am not totally screwing up this parenting gig after all.
Have you got a fist pump parenting story to share?
What things make you think you may not be screwing up as a parent after all?
Do your kids read to each other? What are their favourite books to read to little siblings?
8 Books for Bigger Kids to Read to Smaller Kids
Here are 8 books my nine year old recommends that bigger kids read to the smaller kids in their lives.
Some of these are longer chapter books which are good for little siblings who love books, and some are picture books which are perfect for everyone!
The links below are Amazon affiliate links – if you buy a book I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you are in Australia I recommend Booktopia
Picture books:
Pig the Pug books by Aaron Blabey
The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner
There’s a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr Seuss
Chapter books:
Misery Guts by Morris Gleitzman
Star of Deltora Series by Emily Rodda
James and the Giant Peach, or anything else by Roald Dahl
Any of the Geronimo Stilton books
Bad Jelly the Witch by Spike Milligan
Your story brought sudden tears to my eyes. I have had this same moment, and it was the best. I don’t think I felt at the time the way reading your story made me feel. You are giving a gift by sharing these moments and allowing us to recognize ourselves in others. We really are all in the same boat!
I also had my fair share of “fist pumping” moments with my daughter. Amazingly, these moments come at times when I think that I am the worst mother and that I might screw up being a parent. The latest time was when I was watching my daughter open up an orange on her own. I used to think that she could not do it, but what I did not notice was that she was watching me closely and that she wanted to do it on her own because she is a “big girl.” What surprised me even more was when she gave a piece of the orange for me, my husband, her grandfather and her aunt. I was so proud of her!
Sometimes it is the things that seem so small and ‘boring’ that mean so much!