My son the book smuggler

Teddy is a very avid reader. Since he learned to read actual books we've had to fight with him every single night at bedtime to put the book down and go to bed. Every night one of us puts him to bed only to go and check on him several minutes later to find him reading. We totally get that this is a good problem to have, it's sort of nonsensical to be mad at your child for reading too much, but still, the boy needs his sleep.

Of course we take his current book of choice out of his room each night, but his room is full of books and comic books and there is always something of interest he'll want to read somewhere within reach. If he thinks we'll notice him turning on his light (or the flashlight under the covers) he'll just quietly go into the bathroom and read away until we notice he's no longer in his room. When I say this goes on every night, I'm not remotely exaggerating... every single night for... I don't know.. I guess four and a half years we've had this little battle. The only times it doesn't happen is due to pure exhaustion or illness.

Recently what's been working if I'm the one who puts him down is I just station myself in the hallway where I can see his feet in the bed. He'll wait a minute or two to be sure the coast is clear and then he'll sit up, on his way to find a book and a light source, only to see me standing there. He'll get a cute and goofy grin on his face and lay back down. I'll make some noises suggesting I've gone into my bedroom and he'll get up again, see me, grin, lay down. Each time he'll wait a bit longer and so far my patience has outlasted his will.

Then we come to last night. Brad's putting him to bed. Teddy says he's got to go to the bathroom so of course Brad suspects it is so that he can read and tells him so. Teddy stands in front of Brad with his arms extended and says "Look. Check me out. I've got no books, I've really got to go to the bathroom." After first checking the bathroom for hidden books Brad reluctantly lets him pass. But something was nagging at him... he just didn't trust Teddy... Wait, I know, he thinks, he was walking sort of stiffly. Brad barges back into the bathroom less than 10 seconds later and says "You have a book under your shirt, don't you?"

Brazenly Teddy looks his father in the eye and lifts his shirt... no book. But, he moves his feet just enough for Brad to see the book he'd already taken from under the shirt and placed on the floor next to the toilet. Pointedly Brad looks at it and then at him... The sheepish grin returned and Ted handed the book to Bradford.

Camela