We Gave In

For their most recent birthdays, we gave in and bought both BB and DD each a Kindle.  Recall that I've resisted buying them a Kindle-type device for a long time.  But that was then.  Here's what I mean by that.  BB and DD both have long moved on from the picture book phase and into chapter books.  While I love, really insisted, on buying actual books for picture books so that the wonderful illustrations could be enjoyed fully, the same doesn't apply to chapter books.  Our biggest difficulty with chapter books these days is losing their page, something that doesn't happen with the Kindle. The other reason is a practical one - our library is overflowing with books.  No matter how many we cull through and donate, our library is busting at the seams.  So we bought the Kindles and put a moratorium on buying actual books unless they are not available in ebook format, or if they are reference books.

Since buying the Kindles, we've noticed other small conveniences.  The boys are allowed to bring them to school for reading during break times.  So when they finish a book, they can immediately move on to the next book in their cue and not be stuck having nothing to read.  Backpacks are a lot lighter these days.

With all that said, I still love having the rather sizable library we've built up over the years.  BB and DD still browse through the shelves and stacks almost everyday looking for old favorites, and finding books they've never read (but the other one has).  Having some critical mass of books in the home is a luxury, but it's a great thing

So there you have it, a small but significant change in our home.