Monday, August 6, 2007

Fun With the Youngster

I just finished reading Robert Heinlein's "Red Planet" to Monkeyboy as bedtime reading.

Now we're zipping through Foundation, by Isaac Asimov.

As a kid, I preferred Asimov.

As an adult, I now realize just how much better a writer Heinlein was.

***
Monkeyboy won't cop to a preference, but I notice that his current read-to-himself book is a Heinlein, taken from my shelf.

For those of you that know Heinlien's oeuvre, I've told Monkeyboy he can read any Asimov book at all, and any Heinlien book he can find in the elementary school library.

My copies of his later work, like The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land, or Time Enough for Love are on a high shelf. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. They're great books. But I'd like to hold off until at least teenage years before I start inviting the questions those books would raise.

***
The top 3 CD's for playing in the car on the way to Summer Sports Camp are, as chosen by the passenger: Let It Be, Instant Karma, and Magical Mystery Tour.

Yippee.

***
We argued on Sunday about why he can't have a Wii. (We already have a GameCube.)

The next thing I know, he's found an article on Wiki-How entitled "How to Convince Your Parents to Get a Wii."

I praised his computer skills to the high heavens. So much so that I think I soothed the hurt that came of the realization that he'd already thought of, and tried, all of the suggested strategems.

***
I quoted the English Philospher Michael Jagger to him, about the fact that "You Can't Always Get What You Want".

I think he's caught on that, when I claim to be quoting a philospher, it's usually a rock lyric.

Peace Out!

8 comments:

laughing said...

Asimov is pretty safe with stuff like. The only sex I remember is maybe in like the third or forth book in the series with the cop and the robot partner.

Not that he had sex with the robot partner. I just can't remember the name of the book.

laura b. said...

I love it when my kids read the same books I enjoyed back in the bad old days.
It is nice that you are very aware of what Monkeyboy is reading, content-wise. You'd be amazed how many parents come in asking for very adult themed books for their young children just because they are reading at an advanced level.

Anonymous said...

At least he has good taste as a youngster....teach him well and he will lead one day.

The Wii is some fun stuff, the Alien has one and I found myself strangely addicted to it.

mielikki said...

whenever you can quote lyric's to a child as philosophy it's a great day! Good choice!

Bubblewench said...

oh, the wii... please get him one... it's the best. You'll be playing more then him.

Tara said...

My friend used to babysit a few neighbor kids, and one day one of them quoted from Shakespeare ("What fools these mortals be!"). She told me how weird it felt that some little kid was quoting from Shakespeare while we take quotes from the movies. :D

Churlita said...

I love your philosophical quotes. I think I quote from the same pool.

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

very clever.. he thought he would one up you on the Wii.. .. Give credit to MIDC...