I realize I've posted a couple of pictures like this one, and one quite recently, but I love this image. Kiernan reading in the sunlight in the late afternoon. It's like the heavens smiling down upon the reader. Even if he is reading Calvin & Hobbes. Again.I love how much he loves Calvin & Hobbes, since it's my favorite of all comics EVAR. The Far Side comes second. It's not particularly close, but it's close-ish. I say "close-ish" because while Bill Watterson finishes easily first--so far ahead he can afford to relax for the last few yards and break the tape at a trot--after Gary Larson there's really no one else.
Anyway, I love that he gets it. I love that he responds to the humor and the art. And the vocabulary is a huge benefit because of the way Watterson writes. We just have to be careful, because Calvin is...um...shall we say, less than a role model. Many of his words and most of his attitudes are not what we want our son adopting. But there's no doubt that reading this--just as reading anything of value--expands his mind.
Tonight it got me a little bit, though. Just before today became tomorrow I took Kiernan to the bathroom for his middle-of-the-night potty run. As I steered him back to bed he asked me, "Daddy? Is the Bogey Man a real thing?"
I know where he got that. Sigh. How do you answer that in the middle of the night?
Well...you just let him know you're looking out for him all night long. Always watching out for him. Then he takes a deep breath, gathers his blankets around him and goes back to sleep.
That's being a dad.
4 comments:
You mean Kiernan gets Calvin and Hobbes even when he's NOT on the toilet??? My, how things change from day to day! Miss and love you all! S
I laughed out loud when you wrote he was reading C & H AGAIN. So funny! But what do you mean how do you answer that question about the boogey man being real? Isn"t the answer a resounding NO?? If not, I've got some serious rethinking to do about the security around here!!!
If I keep it vague about whether the Bogey Man is real at this point, then he'll always have a little doubt about it in the back of his mind. I'm hoping the residual fear will keep him from sneaking out of bed (and going out the window) as a teenager.
You've got a lot to learn lady. You've got to think long game. Long game!
I LOL'ed about long game. VERY funny. And BEAUTIFUL picture. First I've seen it.
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