Wednesday, December 5, 2012

File this one under "Socialization"

Leaving the library after our weekly story-time visit last week, a sign he has passed a dozen times before caught Dale's eye:

Brown Bag Book Club
12pm
First Wednesday Each Month

Dale said, "I like to read.  Can I go to that?"

After a little discussion with our fantastic Library Director (Mimi), it was decided yes, Dale could attend the adult-intended event.

This morning he grabbed the lunch box I packed for him and his recently finished Harriet Tubman biography and Mimi picked him up to ride to work with her.

To avoid precociousness, he had been strictly instructed on how to wait quietly for his turn, and to act like a child (albeit one with very good manners) instead of trying to be an adult.

An hour and a half later the rest of us went to pick him up and I waited anxiously for the reports.

From Mimi: Dale did great!

From Dale: He loved it!

He sat quietly eating his lunch and taking in every word as the others discussed the books they had read.  When his turn came he spoke up and gave a little summary and some interesting facts from his own book.  He came home reporting the things he had learned from his listening and visiting, glowing with pleasure.

I'm so proud of my boy for being able to mingle with book-loving, life-long-learning adults without being either bored or annoying.  

So thankful for these circumstances to give him the wonderful opportunity to do something new, and something so enriching.

Thankful to Mimi for taking him under her work-wing for an hour.  Thankful to the kind ladies and gentleman of the book club meeting for their kind welcome and respect for a 9 year old, blonde-headed, book-loving boy.

He's already looking forward to January. :)

2 comments:

Linda Jacobs said...

I don't know why but this brought tears to my eyes! Love it.

Cindy said...

That is a beautiful thing.