I do remember books I read as a kid, or even where I was sitting when I read certain of those books, better than I remember many actual events.

Childhood book memories: getting my boxed set of Little House books the Christmas I was 6 from my godmother; going to the 3-5 grade school library and checking out all of their biographies over the course of 3rd and 4th grade; reading Roots in 5th grade and liking it (and freaking out some of my teachers over my advanced reading); sitting at my grandparents' house and reading Rose in Bloom by LM Alcott and laughing over something, then looking up when I finished the section and finding my mom and grandmother smiling at my reaction, and saying, "What?!?"

My mother didn't want to give me headphones for my stereo when I was a kid because she said I'd put on the head phones, turn on music, pick up a book, and disappear. I gave her a "And that's a bad thing?" look.

More than once, I was told to put the book down and watch TV with the rest of the family, because I was being anti-social.

All of us readers probably got the "put the book down" speech, I'd bet. I come form a reader-y family--my mom owed a used bookstore, after all--and I remember lots of books being physically takenbout of my hands so I'd do a chore or go out in the "fresh air" or whatever crazy non-reading scheme they had for me.

On road trips, I was supposed to "look outside" instead of reading all the time.

All of us readers probably got the "put the book down" speech, I'd bet.

Yep. I was (and still am) a big fan of reading in the tub. As a kid, I'd be in there forever and refill a couple of times to keep the water warm, much to my parents' chagrin.

My parents' main concern was to stop me from reading while I walked. We lived in London. I walked a lot. I think it helped me develop my peripheral vision because I never bumped into anyone.

My mom was enough of a reader herself that I wasn't often told to put a book down, but she didn't want me reading at the table even if I was eating alone for fear of spillage, and once I turned 6 or 7 she wouldn't let me bring non-Bible books into church anymore (it was too small a church to have children's church, so I had to stay through the sermon). I think this was supposed to make me start listening to sermons, but what I actually did was read the parts of the Bible that struck me as strange and interesting, namely all the ceremonial law bits of the Torah, Song of Solomon, and Revelation.

On road trips, I was supposed to "look outside" instead of reading all the time.

The great tragedy of my childhood was that due to my terrible propensity for car sickness I was unable to read in the car. Instead I (sat between my brothers to keep them from fighting and) drew pictures of olden time families and made up stories about them in my head. so...maybe not a tragedy at all!

I don't remember ever being told to put down a book but I know we weren't supposed to read at the dinner table. Any other place & time was a-okay. (except church but none of us would have attempted that)

I come from a great family of readers, thank the goodness. All 4 grandparents, all my aunts and uncles, my parents and my brothers -- all big readers. One of the features of family events in my mother's big family is passing around the latest books.

My mom forbade me from reading in the stands while my brother was playing his freshman football games, so I was forced to watch the game. I learned football in sheer self-defense from being bored out of my mind, so I have to give Mom props for that, because I've loved football ever since.

The only times Mom would yell at me for reading was when I would be sitting on the floor, supposedly dusting the living room furniture, and was reading instead. I'd usually be quick enough to toss the book under the end table when I heard her approaching and pull out the dustcloth, but sometimes she was just too fast for me.

This reminds me of what my SIL told me about the time she had sent my 4th-grade niece up to get something from her room, and when she didn't reappear 15 minutes later, she went up to see what the hold-up was. Sure enough, Courtney was reading in her bedroom. When Cynthia yelled at her for not doing what she was supposed to do, Courtney just gave her this pathetic look and said, "But, Mom, I came in to get that thing, but the book was just sitting here on my bed--I had to read it!!"

All of us readers probably got the "put the book down" speech, I'd bet.

You know, I don't think I ever did. I think my mom would have liked me to have more friends, but I was never told not to read.