My five year old used to enjoy being read to before bed. Who wouldn’t? I’m incredibly animated when I’m all seven, spunky monkeys.

 
Granted, there are nights that our bedtime routine falls behind schedule and after “last snack” brushing teeth, a thorough lice check and writing 100 times “I will not say my Mom’s cooking is gross” we don’t always have time for reading.

 
But last night, we made time. We wrapped up the bedtime routine a little early so we would have extra time for reading.

 
We made it through an entire “Where’s Waldo” (without ever reading a word) and then a picture book (no words) and then I suggested we read a book with actual words and characters that were up front and centre we were meant to see the second we opened the page.

 
Chloe asked instead if we could turn the book on its side and pretend it was a laptop. The top of the inside cover was her monitor, the bottom, a keyboard. Just two blank pages, the bread of the book sandwich with no content, no reading, just the promise of spunky monkeys and all of their tom-foolery hidden behind a laptop and Chloe was the only one smart enough to know the password.

 
“Hey, should we see what the spunky monkeys are up to?”

 
“Wait, I’m typing………no.”

 
“Well, would you like to choose another book we can read together while you crack some important codes?”

 
“Sure.”

 
She handed me an activity book from her shelf. I’m not sure how it ended up there but it was clearly planted for just such an occasion.

 
So, we connected some dots and matched the princesses to the proper footwear. We made the flying dragon find his way through the maze to the cob of corn. I’m still confused.

 
At no time did we do any actual reading.

 
I hope this is just a phase.

 
Waldo is harder to find the older I get.