Readers

At a glance, baby's first or child's first is amazing memory to keep.

Changing the first diaper is one example. Ditto for walking the first step, the first day at kindergarten, or the first talent show performance (and probably glitch on stage). I used to think that they're important milestones but I've come to the conclusion that it's the child's last that needs bigger chunk of memory space.

Think about it this way. We've been reading bedtime stories to Jasmine for years. In many cases the same book for the umpteenth time: The Nutcracker by Alison Jay, One Mole Digging a Hole by the natural-born storyteller Julia Donaldson, The Day the Crayons Came Home by quick-witted Oliver Jeffers.

Whether we like it or not, my wife and I have less and less chance to read her bedtime stories. I don't mean Jasmine has outgrown her love for stories. That's a love affair nobody can outgrow. My daughter simply reads the story books herself now. For those of us wishing to raise a child who loves to read, this is good news. And yet most of us want to remember the good old days when our kids enjoyed our story reading.

Ridiculous, right? But that's exactly what I've lamented and started to miss.

And so, grabbing each one's own book before sleep is another new activity at our bedroom. It's also a way to be an influence on reading habits of others. And that includes us.