The few hours we have between the end of the school day and bedtime are usually full. We have homework, chores, dinner, showers and various other things that need to be finished. However, I always make time to read aloud to each of the children.Our daughter is a very advanced reader who is fully capable of reading any book on her own. Our son is a new reader who can handle most of the books on his shelf. I still feel it is SO important for them to hear a story from me. It is very personal time for us to reconnect and spend a little one on one time. We also often read stories together as a family. Those common stories are important to us and have become the foundation to many family jokes. The kids have both been reading books to each other now, too. I love to watch them working together, sharing their favorite excerpts from books and acting out stories.
We also keep a basket filled with holiday stories that we have brought out for the season. We take turns choosing the story we will read each night and also take turns reading aloud. It is a wonderful family tradition that we all look forward to each evening.
Reading aloud definitely Works For Me and my family benefits from it every day.
-Julie
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I read outloud to my son every day too. I can't pass up buying books (second-hand) so we have plenty to choose from. I also have a bunch of books that I set out for each month (Christmas books in December etc.).
ReplyDeleteI need to read more with my boys. My husband reads to them sometimes and the 7yr old reads to his brother every night from the Bible and storybooks but I think like you said that time with mom will build more closeness.
ReplyDeleteStopped by to say hi.