Tuesday, November 07, 2023

Too mature for the book fair?? Who knew this day would come?

 The other week when I was running to Costco, Coop asked me to grab the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, and I was delighted. I really thought both he and Dorothy were too sophisticated for those books, and I was sad to relegate them to other outgrown series like Cat Kid and Dog Man and Junie B. Jones and even the graphic novel Babysitter’s Club books.

He read it in under 45 minutes, but THAT’S OK— the point is he still wanted to. He is really into Percy Jackson right now, so that’s another series I can buy. And Dorothy is still reading my old scary tween/teen faves, so that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Really, though, I didn’t realize how much I miss having little kid readers who like little kid books until the elementary school book fair rolled around.

By some miracle from the heavens, I scheduled Dorothy and Cooper’s annual well kid check ups back-to-back first thing in the morning on a day that neither Dorothy nor Minnie had school.** After the doc (and taking Coop to school where he barely missed a THING because his school starts so freaking late), Dorothy had her parent-teacher conference, and the school books fair was open. I was excited to take her and Minnie because I thought they would both find something great, and we could all go home and read.

Only **record scratch**  Dorothy did not find a single book she wanted because everything was “TOO BABYISH.” Talk about the end of an era I didn’t even know could end!! Total heartbreak.

Not too big for silly pajamas or to walk with me though.

Also, Minnie cried when the conference was over because she wanted to “STAY HERE AT THIS SCHOOL ALL BY MYSELF,” so that always makes you look awesome— when your kid doesn’t even want to come home with you.

(And the pediatrician told Dorothy— who hates vaccines and cries at the mere thought of them— that she could have 2 shots this year, 2 shots next year and no shots when she’s 12 OR 1 shot this year, 2 shots next year, and 1 shot when she’s 12 OR no shots this time, three shots next year, and 1 shot when she’s 12. AND DOROTHY PICKED THE FIRST OPTION. She said, well, the thing I hate the most about shots is knowing I have to get them, so let’s just get it over with. She really IS growing up.)

** Seriously, this NEVER happens to me. Like, for example, each twice-yearly dentist appointment I schedule is WORSE than the one that came before it— so brutal. It’s like the me of months ago REALLY HATED the present-day me and decided to enact her revenge with impossible scheduling. BUT HOW COULD I KNOW WHAT CLUSTERFUCK WOULD AWAIT ME COME APRIL WHEN I SCHEDULE THINGS IN OCTOBER?????

29 comments:

  1. You still have Minnie, Sarah!

    But it does seem like the end of an era for sure. My kids give me lists these days and it's all Gramsci and The Bell Jar, and I'm like what are you reading for FUN?!?

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    1. LOL LOL LOL. I am trying to think what would be fun in this scenario. Maybe, like, Stuart Hall??

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  2. I hate scheduling things far in advance. Of course my calendar looks open SIX MONTHS FROM NOW. I feel this hard!

    I have never bought a single book from book fairs. We are Team Library. Though my daughter is a volunteer at school this year and if she "works" the book fair, she gets to pick a free book. Likely a BSC book because we are in that phase and I'm not hating it :)

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    1. Oh, I am a sucker for the book fair and the scholastic book order form.

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  3. Oh, I remember those moments. Luckily you've still got lots of book fair years with Minnie!
    My son read the Wimpy Kid books for a long time too. I think as he got older they were kind of nostalgic for him, and he still appreciated the humor.
    It's the irony of having kids- the whole point is that they grow up, but it's so sad when each phase ends.

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  4. Ooooh, please share your favorite scary books for teens ... I think my kiddo (age 14) would love that, but I really strongly dislike anything scary so when I read the book summaries I cannot get past the "oh that sounds terrible" feeling and it stops me from picking books.

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    1. I got her the Caroline B. Cooney Vampire series, plus The Babysitter by RL Stine, and a few of my nostalgic fave Christopher Pikes (The Last Act, The Beach House, The Monster).

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    2. Thanks! Checking them out now ....

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  5. Scheduling things months in advance makes it sound easier - like you can just schedule things around your dentist appointment or mammogram - but in reality it NEVER works that way. How does it happen? I'm in charge of my own calendar, right?

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    1. NEVER HAPPENS! 2 of the other kids have a doctor appointment this week, and I really might have to cancel.

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  6. As a kid I always loved the book fair, and remember the disappointment when the rush to discover some new book to read faded in the realization that none of them sounded appealing anymore.

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  7. Oh that is sad to outgrow the book fair. Sob. I have such good memories of going to the book fair. My parents didn't buy us a ton of books so it was really special when I got to buy one at the book fair or from the scholastic order form.

    Way to go Dorothy on being pragmatic! My kids are not good at handling shots. They screamed so much as their appt on Friday that another nurse came in - probably to make sure there wasn't an intruder in the room or something. And then the main nurse said they did such a great job. I was like - what??? I give myself 1 or 2 shots every Monday (RA meds) and I do it in front of them in the hopes they see that it's not a big deal. But it doesn't seem to matter.

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    1. LOL at your reaction to the nurse. Smart to do your shots in front of the kids. It;s the anticipation that makes it awful, and I hover between sympathy and annoyance.

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  8. I hate scheduling things in advance, even if it's only for myself - so kudos to your for making it work with all the appointments I am sure you have to handle with your kids :)

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    1. It;s impossible to know when in the future will be a good time

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  9. Our budget was such that the kids rarely got to pick a book from the book fair. One year Reg pulled a Lego book - like a huge thing, dictionary-like, from under his sister's bed and asked me to read it at bedtime. We were so confused. Where did this come from? He was in kindergarten.

    Reg: I HAD MONEY.

    Tank: jumped up, covering his mouth, mumbling MY MONEY, MY MONEY while running to their shared bedroom to look at his piggy bank.

    Yep, Reg robbed Tank to buy himself a book.

    I have a few kids who never got into reading, but the Percy Jackson books were really popular here for a few of my guys.

    I laughed so hard at having a toddler who doesn't want to go home with you.

    I scheduled Reg to see a neurologist months ago per his current neulorogist, who wanted him to have a second opinion about his epilepsy. The appt landed on conference golf meet day. Of course. So, we had to reschedule and he's almost 18 and will soon not be able to see this doc. I keep calling for a cancellation and the people there are clearly SICK of me.

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    1. LOL at a brother robbing another for the book fair. One of my kids has a big exam on the day of his yearly physical and we may have to reschedule-- BUT HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW???

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  10. Magical vaccine timing! And awwww. My kids hates shots too, so I empathize with Dorothy (AND YOU) and I am so glad that age ten seems to be the time when they get more reasonable. My kid -- for the first time ever -- did not squirm or make a peep when she got her flu shot. Just sat there and it was over in 20 seconds rather than taking 20 minutes of wheedling and threats and bribery.

    The end of the Book Fair era, though, that's tough! At the book fair here, my kid and her friends were weirdly into the little kid books for some reason? My biggest difficulty is in curbing the non-book purchases. You do not need forty erasers that look like ice cream!

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    1. OMG the extras!!! And the stupid POSTERS. Ugh.

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  11. OMG I am going to brag for just a moment, so please bear with me. I, yes, ME, I was the Book Fair Lady from 2009-2017 at my kids' elementary school. Eight solid years, two book fairs a year. I was FAMOUS. "It's the Book Fair Lady" kids would say in whispered awe. I was just telling Allison, I remember when we were both Book Fair Ladies, and also, I remember kids getting easy readers and then graduating to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Junie B Jones, and sunrise, sunset.

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    1. I love this!! Ben and I were PTA presidents for 6 years when the big boys were little (we each served a 3-year term), so we also got to helm the book fair-- so fun. But I always felt like a jerk during the preview because lots of kids wanted books they weren't going to be able to get and I bought a lot of books for kids and classrooms.

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  12. Oh, I loved book fairs, and my daughter did too. I remember both kinds, the ones where they would send home the catalog and we would pick some books, and the ones that had actual books there you could pick.

    My company had something cool for employees. They put together a really cool reading room/lending library, where you could donate books or borrow them. It was great. I wonder if it's still there now that almost everyone is full time work from home? I have always worked from home at this job, so I have only witnessed the library once...

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    1. Oh that's a GREAT idea! My department should do this

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  13. I have never, ever, ever, ever, been able to make the dentist appointment I made six months ago. Not once. I am seriously overdue right now. I have major dental work anxiety and usually cry after my appointment, so I wait until they hassle me repeatedly to book my next appointment.
    Yes, book fair lady for life. The kids love book fair even more than they love regular library time, and it is an intoxicating thing to be present for. I was sad when my kids were too old too, although it was better for my wallet (the stacks and stacks we brought home, lord).

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    1. I also HATE HATE HATE going to the dentist and the longer I go between appointments, the more dread I have, etc.

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  14. Godddd, I hate scheduling things that far in advance, too. Like scheduling my annual well woman's visit or my skin check? SURE, calendar's open... until I realize I scheduled my skin check on the same day (AND AT THE SAME TIME) as my LASIK procedure. lol forever

    Oh, the Scholastic book fair. That brings me the best memories for me!! How sad that Dorothy has outgrown it!

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