A+

The last two nights my four-year-old has taken a flashlight and books to bed with him, read at bedtime and then tucked them away into special spots "just in case he wakes up during the night or too early in the morning." This morning he woke up, gestured his little sis into his bed, and read to her. (No, he's not technically reading for those wondering but that is a mere technicality.)

In my book, that's an A+ for pre-school this year. (Not that I "did" preschool and if I had, I wouldn't be assigning it a letter grade.) I've been pregnant, having a baby, and recovering from a c-section. Lately, this boy has watched too much TV and very little in the realm of education has been done the way I would ideally do it. Yet, flashlight and books in bed - nothing could be a greater encouragement or valid measure of success to me that his education is on the right track. If this habit will stick and he's still doing this at 18, I will consider the whole deal an A+.