Unshelvable

At least for one day. 

I was growing increasingly frustrated this week at the children’s refusal to read.  My candy and prize bribery was failing.  The boys had learned to go “eeehhh…I don’t really want a piece of candy today. I don’t feel like reading” and then there was no recourse for me. The boys, aged 9-11, would race to the library after school so they could be the first one to burst through the door and say “MRS RACHEL MAY I PLEASE GET ON MINECRAFT?!?!”  And sure, in less than a month I’d taught them to say “may I please” but my god, they still weren’t reading.  And they weren’t saying hello to me either, just diving for the computers.  Arguments would ensue about “who gets to go next”, “I didn’t get a turn today, it’s not fair!!” and waaaah waaaah wahh.  I wanted to tear my hair out, or at the very least lay my head down on my desk and cry.  Also, I wanted “Mine Craft” to die a slow and painful death.

With Kyle’s help, I came up with a new idea. Instead of threatening the removal of the game (a service the library paid for and is no way required to supply) I informed my boys that from now on, they must read their 15 minutes before playing. I explained that it was hurting my feelings that they never said hello, that the first thing they said to me every day was “when can I get on Mine Craft” and that I wanted them to read more. I was a little surprised when all of the boys kind of shrugged, said “hello” to me (har har, very funny children) and said it sounded fair to them.

Today there was no school.  The kids, as a result, were here by 10:30 am.  Both 11 year old boys that arrived said “Hi!” when they walked in the door and went immediately to a bookshelf to choose a book.  After John sat down he said “may I please get on Mine Craft when I finish my reading?”.  Later, a teenager who always refuses to read and only plays Mine Craft and doesn’t care about the incredible treasure chest of toys I have as prizes, listened to my new rule, nodded his head, chose a book (The Bombing of Hiroshima) and read without complaint for his 15 minutes. Finally, a 9 year old boy (the one that tends to throw the most tantrums about “things not being fair” when it comes to Mine Craft) arrived and said “Hi! I’m going to do my 15 minutes, and then may I get on Mine Craft?”.  I recommended a new book that had just arrived in our rotating collection (Explosive Tales For Children) and he sat and read.  He interrupted himself twice to read out loud to me when he found something particularly funny. When his 15 minutes were up, he asked for a bookmark and for me to keep the book behind my desk so he could read it every day.  

Maybe it won’t always work, and maybe I’ll have to keep finding something new for rewards and incentives, and maybe that’s just fine.  Because right now? There are 3 middle school boys reading in the Children’s Room. I still want to cry, but now it’s for a new, entirely happier reason. 

Had to share this entry. 

“I don’t get the plot of Jurassic Park.  Like, if you’re bringing back dinosaurs from the dead for a theme park, why not just bring back a few brontosauruses?  Why would you bring back the velociraptors and the tyrannosauruses? Are there that many people who, when they find out there’s an island full of dinosaurs back from the dead are going to go,” Which ones? Because if it’s just the vegetarians, I’m not interested”?

hahahahahaha.

Get this book!

Pick your top 5 shows, and answer the following questions. Don’t cheat.

1. Friends

2. Parks & Recreation

3. Always Sunny

4. Harry’s Law

5. New Girl

1. Who is your favorite character in 2?:

-Ron Swanson

2. Who is your least favorite character in 1?:

-Ross

3. What’s your favorite episode of 4?:

-The one with the gorilla

4. What is your favorite season of 5?:

-Um…this one? The first season?

5. What’s your favorite ship in 3?:

-Charlie and The Waitress (married in real life <3)

6. Who is your anti-ship in 2?:

-Ron’s Mom vs. Tammy 2

7. How long have you watched 1?: 

-Forever? Every day? I don’t know how to answer this.

8. How did you become interested in 3?:

-I still remember watching the first episode. It was followed by that weird show about people who went to…meetings. Like, AA meetings, but for things that weren’t alcohol.  That show sucked. This one was incredible. 

9. Who is your favorite actor in 4?:

-GAH, so hard. Kathy Bates though, for sure.  

10. Which show do you prefer 1, 2, or 5?:

-1 I watch every night, but I think 2 would be my current favorite. 

11. Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3?:

 -1 

12. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?:

 -Phoebe. She’s so manipulative and adorable at the same time. 

13. How would you kill off your favorite character in 1?:

-That’s depressing. Chandler can’t die. 

14. Would a 3/4 crossover work?:

- Um, no, the Always Sunny gang doesn’t mix well with lawyers…

15. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple:  

-Joey and Phoebe

16. Over all, which show has a better cast, 3 or 5?:

-Ugh.  Tie? Can I say tie? They’re so different, WAAA. 5. 

17. Which has better theme music, 1 or 3?: 

-3