Rachel Kiser
Blogger | Mom of Two

I consider myself someone who benefits from setting goals. Whether it’s getting to the gym three times per week or sitting down for intentional, eye-to-eye conversations with my kids every single day, goals are something that drive me and keep me focused on the things I love. This, however, is something I’ve fostered into adulthood. It was a struggle in my early life and even through college to set and keep goals.

So, when I read about kids like 4-year-old Caleb Green from Chicago, I pretty much feel like I wasted my early years completely! Caleb told his parents recently that he wanted to read 100 books. Cool, right? 100 books for a preschooler! Here’s the catch, though: he wanted to read 100 books in one night.

GREEN FAMILY

Okay. This kid may write the next great American novel someday.

At first, Caleb’s father Sylus was skeptical. “I was like, ‘100, son? That’s a lot of books,’” he shares. “So at first, I had the gut reaction to talk him down a little bit, but he was like, ‘No, I want to read 100.’”

Sylus says that their entire family is obsessed with reading, so that may play a part in little Caleb’s desire to do something remarkable. His parents eventually decided to get on board with his challenge, and also recorded it on Facebook live to inspire others, and to garner some encouragement as well. They took a break every 10 minutes (for dance parties, of course!) and it lasted an incredible 9 hours. Is anyone else envious of the patience these parents and child exhibited? Wow.

To add a heart-warming element to this impressive story, the Green family also decided to create a book drive. Their goal is to collect 10,000 books to donate to area schools. “It is up to us to instill the love of reading in our youth,” Sylus says in his Facebook post.

Sylus told Babble that they are overwhelmed with the love and support that the nation has shown to Caleb. He also shares that his son has pushed him to set lofty goals, ones that may make him feel uncomfortable. “We are capable of farm more than we imagine if we just try.” Kids can be amazing teachers, can’t they?

If you’d like to find out more about the Green’s book drive, check out their Wish List here!

About Rachel Kiser

Rachel is a wife and mother living in Raleigh, North Carolina. She’s a fan of good coffee, wearer of gray t-shirts, and is constantly starting books she will never finish. Her family is her joy, and she loves to engage with other moms and dads on matters of parenting. Her blog posts have also been featured on the Today Show Parenting Blog and Scary Mommy.

View all posts by Rachel Kiser here.