I will forever remember being smashed together on the couch with a nursling and all my other littles and piles of books to read at our leisure. Agree with everything in this article. I am saddened by people who don't read books, especially the younger people who will be in places of leadership in our culture. I fear they will be lacking in depth and substance - and joy.
Thank you for making a point so many people seem to ignore nowadays --- that the ones who have a great part (or the greatest) in what children do are their parents!
I have no children, but I often consider what good parenting is (especially since I think I might be married sometime in the future) and I can imagine it is hard work!
I do not homeschool, but I have found that mealtimes are excellent opportunities to read aloud. My small children (3 and 6!) surprised me by how much they both retained and genuinely enjoyed The Hobbit! It was a downright magical experience. ✨
(I have big plans for Narnia, George MacDonald books, and The Green Ember series.) What are some favorite books you have read aloud to your children? Our book shelf situations look very similar! 📚❤️)
Your read-aloud lineup sounds magnificent! How fortunate are your children to have you as their mother. Ah I have so many favorite read-alouds, but one I have enjoyed that your children could listen to now is Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. I also wrote a post about all the read-alouds that we read in 2023; that one might give you a few new ideas, too. Enjoy!! Reading aloud with our children is truly one of life’s great delights.
Sometimes people don't read because they haven't learnt to read properly. It's just too much effort or really discouraging. One of my daughters did a Bachelor of Primary (Elementary) Education which is 4 years here in Australia. In all that time, how to teach children to read was never covered.
One of the many reasons I wanted to teach my own children was to make sure that they were literate because we knew too many kids that had fallen through the cracks at school. I think whatever education option parents choose, they have to be aware of any deficits in this area.
As you mentioned: being a reader yourself, reading aloud, making time for reading (not screens) - having books in a series was great for some of ours, especially while they were still working on fluency; a good selection of books; word-based games like Boggle, Articulate & Scrabble.
Your point about how many children fall through the cracks at school and never learn to read fluently is a very good one.
My sister taught middle school math here in Texas for a decade and had a student tell her that he can *read* the individual words to his math word problems, but he just doesn’t understand what they *mean* together. Heartbreaking. And how can she take the time to teach a 7th-grader how to read?! She can’t.
Love your tip on reading a series for those beginning readers.
I love that Jen does a 'summer reading challenge' every month of the summer for our kids and when they have completed their challenges (complete with oral and/or written book reports) we'll take them all out for ice cream. One of this year's included an analysis of characters and their enviable (and unenviable) traits of their favorite series. Also enjoyed the ice cream at the end of the summer.
This is such a great family tradition, Phil. Y'all are doing an awesome job and your kids are lucky to have you two as parents! How are our kids getting so old already?!
“let them see you read” - this is key! I would add that I’ve observed that in families where Dad reads, older sons are much, much more likely to read, and vice versa.
Absolutely love the feast-in-a-castle metaphor.
Thanks!
I will forever remember being smashed together on the couch with a nursling and all my other littles and piles of books to read at our leisure. Agree with everything in this article. I am saddened by people who don't read books, especially the younger people who will be in places of leadership in our culture. I fear they will be lacking in depth and substance - and joy.
Beautiful, golden memories.
Thank you for making a point so many people seem to ignore nowadays --- that the ones who have a great part (or the greatest) in what children do are their parents!
It is a weighty responsibility to be a parent! It is good work, but not easy.
I have no children, but I often consider what good parenting is (especially since I think I might be married sometime in the future) and I can imagine it is hard work!
YES! SO much YES! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I do not homeschool, but I have found that mealtimes are excellent opportunities to read aloud. My small children (3 and 6!) surprised me by how much they both retained and genuinely enjoyed The Hobbit! It was a downright magical experience. ✨
(I have big plans for Narnia, George MacDonald books, and The Green Ember series.) What are some favorite books you have read aloud to your children? Our book shelf situations look very similar! 📚❤️)
Your read-aloud lineup sounds magnificent! How fortunate are your children to have you as their mother. Ah I have so many favorite read-alouds, but one I have enjoyed that your children could listen to now is Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. I also wrote a post about all the read-alouds that we read in 2023; that one might give you a few new ideas, too. Enjoy!! Reading aloud with our children is truly one of life’s great delights.
Thank you so much! ❤️ I will definitely look into your suggestions!
Wonderful advice, Shannon!
Thanks, Dixie!
Yes, yes, and yes, Shannon. A couple of thoughts:
Sometimes people don't read because they haven't learnt to read properly. It's just too much effort or really discouraging. One of my daughters did a Bachelor of Primary (Elementary) Education which is 4 years here in Australia. In all that time, how to teach children to read was never covered.
One of the many reasons I wanted to teach my own children was to make sure that they were literate because we knew too many kids that had fallen through the cracks at school. I think whatever education option parents choose, they have to be aware of any deficits in this area.
As you mentioned: being a reader yourself, reading aloud, making time for reading (not screens) - having books in a series was great for some of ours, especially while they were still working on fluency; a good selection of books; word-based games like Boggle, Articulate & Scrabble.
Lunchtime reading was one of our habits.
Your point about how many children fall through the cracks at school and never learn to read fluently is a very good one.
My sister taught middle school math here in Texas for a decade and had a student tell her that he can *read* the individual words to his math word problems, but he just doesn’t understand what they *mean* together. Heartbreaking. And how can she take the time to teach a 7th-grader how to read?! She can’t.
Love your tip on reading a series for those beginning readers.
I love that Jen does a 'summer reading challenge' every month of the summer for our kids and when they have completed their challenges (complete with oral and/or written book reports) we'll take them all out for ice cream. One of this year's included an analysis of characters and their enviable (and unenviable) traits of their favorite series. Also enjoyed the ice cream at the end of the summer.
This is such a great family tradition, Phil. Y'all are doing an awesome job and your kids are lucky to have you two as parents! How are our kids getting so old already?!
“let them see you read” - this is key! I would add that I’ve observed that in families where Dad reads, older sons are much, much more likely to read, and vice versa.
That is an interesting correlation!