The value of Reading...

The other night, the kiddos and I took our dinner to the park to have a picnic and play. After eating DS#2 headed to the play area. I, being an attentive Mommy, watched him climb up the play structure and into the yellow, spiral, tube slide. I sat there, all content and soaking up the warm evening while joyous sounds of children playing surrounded me, until I realized (see...this is where the attentiveness comes it!) DS#2 hadn't come out of the slide. How long does it take to come down the slide? Maybe 30 seconds??? Well, he had been in there for far longer, so I called out his name. He finally pops out. So, I have to ask him, why on earth it took him so long to come down. He shrugs his little shoulders and answers, all matter of factly, "People have written lots of stuff in there and I wanted to read it!" Oh, Boy! That reading thing has really paid off...geez.