13-Aug-08 - Reading

Parker has figured out that Liam can read, and this means that Liam can read to him. It started the other day when I suggested that Liam read a story to Parker that we had read together the night before. So this morning Parker brings a book to Liam and asks, "Can you wead a Parker?" Liam, full of power, stated curtly, "Not yet!"

This produced instant disintegration. "He won't let me!" Parker comes crying to me. So first we had a chat about the way we phrase things. "No thank you, not yet," magically produces acceptance from Parker, while something terse spoken from Liam's high horse squashes Parker's feelings every time. Then I explained to Parker that Liam might need time to look the book over first, because he has never read it by himself. So the boys went to separate chairs with separate books. After a minute or two, Liam announced, "Ok, I can! Parker, do you want to come here so I can read to you?" "Ok!" says an eager Parker. And Liam read him the book. It was an existential moment for a parent!

This was I Love You When, a Gap publication that Babcia picked up with some clothes for them once. It was a toddler favorite, but we have not looked at it in months. Liam only bogged down over a couple of words, and I was able to supply help from the next room, where I was working on the computer. But after a few pages, the boys ran into a different kind of trouble. Parker wanted to talk about the book, and Liam found this frustrating.

"Daddy," Liam complained as Damian walked through to fill his water bottle, "he's talking and he can't hear me, and I want him to hear what I'm saying!" I pointed out that I have the same problem with Liam himself, but this was sort of lost on him. Damian suggested that perhaps Liam could let Parker talk about the item that interested him and then keep reading when Parker was done, but Liam was not keen on this.

"Parker," he said when Damian had left again, "you have to be quiet or I'm not going to read to you." More comments from Parker. "Ok, Parker, then I'm just not going to read until you can be quiet." More talking. More uber frustration from Liam: "Parker, do you want me to read the words to you?" "No," says Parker.

Next I hear silence from Liam and some frustrated grunts and "Give me space!" from Parker. So Parker was told that if he needs space he has to move to the other chair. He did, with the book. He continued his monologue about the pictures, and Liam was left sucking his lovey despondently in the original chair.

Well, Liam, welcome to the joys of older-brothering a toddler.