No, Please, Don't Do Exactly What I Think You Should Do

This evening at bedtime Fiona asked for a flashlight in her room. A few minutes later she said that if she had trouble sleeping she could look at her books (this is what the kids at preschool do at naptime if they're not sleeping).

In terms of figuring out what she's planning, putting two and two together wasn't hard. Actually, given how transparent she was being, it was probably like putting one and zero together.

Even so, a few minutes after that when she announced that she could look at her books with her flashlight, I did remember a piece of advice I'd always liked: if you're lucky, your kid will want to read after bed, and if you're smart you'll forbid it, which will make reading even more enticing. So I tried to put on my best disapproving voice and tell her she should really try to get to sleep because it's bedtime, not reading time.

But I was definitely laughing underneath.

Last point: a few minutes ago I passed by her bedroom door and heard her voice (at her age she reads aloud). Way to go, kid. Probably a few more minutes until I open the door and remind her that it's lights out. Ah, parenting: where you do the exact same things your parents did that you thought was so foolish.